Integrating public data sets for analysis of maternal airborne environmental exposures and stillbirth

Efforts to study relationships between maternal airborne pollutant exposures and poor pregnancy outcomes have been frustrated by data limitations. Our objective was to report the proportion of Ohio women in 2006-2010 experiencing stillbirth whose pregnancy exposure to six criteria airborne pollutants could be approximated by applying a geospatial approach to vital records and Environmental Protection Agency air monitoring data. In addition, we characterized clinical and socio-demographic differences among women who lived within 10 km of monitoring stations compared to women who did not live within proximity of monitoring stations. For women who experienced stillbirth, 10.8% listed a residence within 10 km of each type of monitoring station. Maternal race, education, and marital status were significantly different (p<0.0001) comparing those within proximity to monitoring stations to those outside of monitoring range. No significant differences were identified in maternal age, ethnicity, smoking status, hypertension, or diabetes between groups.