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Prenatal air pollution linked to lower toddler language and motor scores

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Research area:environment-climateair-quality-atmosphere

What the study found

The study found that higher prenatal exposure to air pollutants was associated with altered neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood. Specifically, first-trimester exposure was linked to lower language scores, and preterm infants appeared more vulnerable to poorer motor outcomes across pregnancy.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors conclude that maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is a potentially modifiable risk factor. They suggest that reducing exposure may improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

What the researchers tested

The researchers studied 498 toddlers from the developing human connectome project, including 125 born preterm. They estimated prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10, tiny airborne particles) and nitrogen dioxide across gestation using maternal residential postcode, then compared these exposures with cognitive, language, and motor scores from the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition.

What worked and what didn't

Higher first-trimester exposure to all pollutants was associated with lower language scores after adjustment for several factors, including sex, ethnic group, maternal pregnancy complications, gestational age at birth, birth-weight z-score, home language environment, and socioeconomic deprivation. Higher exposure across gestation was associated with lower motor scores in preterm infants after adjustment for sex, birth-weight z-score, ethnic group, maternal pregnancy complications, socioeconomic deprivation, and duration of respiratory support. The abstract does not report a clear association with cognitive scores.

What to keep in mind

The summary does not describe limitations beyond the observational design implied by the analysis. Exposure was estimated from maternal residential postcode, and the findings are based on toddlers assessed between 17.3 and 34.5 months of age.

Key points

  • Higher first-trimester air pollution exposure was linked to lower language scores in toddlerhood.
  • Preterm infants showed greater vulnerability to worse motor outcomes with higher exposure across pregnancy.
  • The study included 498 toddlers, including 125 born preterm.
  • Air pollution exposure was estimated using maternal residential postcode across gestation.
  • The abstract describes air pollution during pregnancy as a potentially modifiable risk factor.

Disclosure

Research title:
Prenatal air pollution linked to lower toddler language and motor scores
Authors:
Alexandra F. Bonthrone, Brendan Bos, Ben Barratt, Hoi Ching Olina Pang, Sean Beevers, Andrew Chew, Shona Falconer, Joseph V. Hajnal, Frank J Kelly, Chiara Nosarti, A David Edwards, Serena J. Counsell
Institutions:
Imperial College London, Imperial College London, Imperial College London, Imperial College London, King's College London, King's College London, King's College London, King's College London, King's College London, King's College London, King's College London, King's College London
Publication date:
2026-04-28
DOI:
10.1113/jp290327
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by gpt-5.4-mini (OpenAI). The original authors did not write or review this post.

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