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Published on: October 1, 2013
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The association between tree planting and birth outcomes
Geoffrey H Donovan1, Jeffrey P Prestemon2, Abigail R Kaminski1
1USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 1400, Portland, OR 97204, USA.
The Science of the Total Environment
|March 29, 2025
Summary
Newly planted trees near a mother's home during pregnancy are linked to healthier birth outcomes. Each new tree within 100m was associated with increased birth weight and reduced risks of small-for-gestational-age and preterm births.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Maternal and Child Health
- Urban Planning
Background:
- Exposure to greenspace during pregnancy is linked to better birth outcomes, but studies may be affected by confounding factors and self-selection bias.
- Existing research on greenspace and birth weight has limitations due to potential residual confounding and healthier women self-selecting into greener neighborhoods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between newly planted trees and birth outcomes, using tree planting as a novel exposure metric to minimize confounding and self-selection bias.
- To quantify the impact of new tree planting within a 100m radius of maternal addresses on birth weight, the risk of small-for-gestational-age birth, and preterm birth.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the number of trees planted around maternal addresses within the last 10 years as a novel exposure metric.
- Controlled for maternal race/ethnicity, education, major road density, and existing tree canopy in all statistical models.
- Analyzed the association between each newly planted tree within 100m and birth weight, and the association between a 1-SD increase in tree planting and the risk of small-for-gestational-age and preterm births.
Main Results:
- Each tree planted within 100m of a maternal address was associated with a 2.3g increase in birth weight.
- A 1-SD increase in tree planting was associated with a 4.3% reduced risk of a small-for-gestational-age birth.
- A 1-SD increase in tree planting was associated with a 4.9% reduced risk of a preterm birth.
Conclusions:
- Newly planted trees, similar to established trees, are associated with improved birth outcomes, suggesting trees can be an effective public health intervention.
- Using new tree planting as an exposure metric helps overcome limitations of residual confounding and self-selection bias in greenspace-birth outcome studies.
- Findings support the role of urban greening initiatives, specifically tree planting, in promoting healthier pregnancies and improved infant health outcomes.
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