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Increased Stillbirth Rates and Exposure to Environmental Risk Factors for Stillbirth in Counties with Higher Social
Jazmyn Moore1,2, Shannon Evans3, Charles E Rose4
1Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, US. vin2@cdc.gov.
Maternal and Child Health Journal
|October 8, 2024
Summary
Social vulnerability is linked to higher stillbirth rates and increased exposure to environmental risks like air pollution and extreme heat. This study highlights how socioeconomic factors may exacerbate pregnancy risks from environmental conditions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Reproductive Epidemiology
- Social Determinants of Health
Background:
- Pregnancy exposures to heat and pollution are linked to stillbirth.
- No prior studies examined social vulnerability's role in stillbirth.
- This study investigates county-level associations in the U.S.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between county-level stillbirth rates, environmental risk factors, and social vulnerability.
- To understand how social vulnerability interacts with environmental exposures in pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Ecologic study using U.S. county-level data.
- Linked datasets on stillbirths, environmental conditions (heat, PM2.5, ozone), and social vulnerability (CDC/ATSDR SVI).
- Employed Poisson and negative binomial models to estimate rate ratios.
Main Results:
- Social vulnerability showed positive associations with stillbirth rates, extreme heat days, and PM2.5 concentrations.
- Higher average annual PM2.5 concentration was associated with increased stillbirth rates.
- No significant associations were found between stillbirth rates and days exceeding ozone or PM2.5 standards.
Conclusions:
- Evidence suggests associations between social vulnerability and stillbirth rates at the county level.
- Social vulnerability is also associated with environmental risk factors linked to stillbirth.
- Further research is needed to clarify the impact of social vulnerability on environmental exposures and stillbirth risk.
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