Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2025

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Environmental Factors Linked to Birth Outcomes in Urban Localities Across Argentina
Micaela Natalia Campero1,2,3, María Dolores Román3,4, Carlos Marcelo Scavuzzo1
1Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales "Mario Gulich", Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Falda del Cañete, Argentina.
Background:
The impact of environmental factors on health is a key focus in public health research. More studies are needed to explore how environmental determinants influence birth outcomes. This study investigates the regional relationship between environmental conditions and birth outcomes in urban areas of Argentina during 2018-2019.
Methods:
Data from 657 urban localities were analyzed. Prevalence rates of low birth weight (LBW), macrosomia, preterm births (PTB), and small for gestational age (SGA) births were calculated using data from the Health Statistics and Information Division. Environmental data were obtained from satellite sources. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was applied to 22 environmental variables using Stata v15. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test evaluated sampling adequacy, and factor scores were calculated using regression analysis. Spatial distributions were mapped in QGIS 3.28, and clusters of environmental factors were identified through optimized hotspot analysis in ArcGIS Pro 3.2. Correlations between environmental factors and birth outcomes were assessed using correlograms in RStudio (p < 0.05).
Results:
The spatial distribution of birth outcomes varied across the country. The analysis identified five factors, with a KMO score of 0.73. Spatial clustering was observed for all factors, with Pampeana and northern regions of Argentina showing the strongest adherence. Factor 1 (related to urban expansion) and Factor 3 (associated with high temperature) showed positive correlations with all birth outcomes. Factor 2 (favorable for vegetation) positively correlated with LBW and SGA births but negatively with macrosomia. Factor 4 (linked to extensive agriculture) was positively associated with LBW and PTB. Factor 5 (PM10 concentration) negatively correlated with macrosomia and SGA births.
Conclusion:
This study provides new insights into environmental determinants of birth outcomes. Regional analysis of these factors is essential for evidence-based decision-making, particularly in climate change context.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence
Gene-Environment Interactions
Nature and Nurture
Regression Toward the Mean
Teratogenicity

