Breathing polluted air can harm reproductive health of women: Experts

Even as air quality remains in severe category in Delhi experts said that breathing polluted air can significantly hurt reproductive healthOn Thursday morning air quality across Delhi remained in the severe category The Anand Vihar station was in the severe category with PM 25 at 500 and PM 10 at 459 while the Carbon Monoxide CO was at 85 and the NO2 at 57 both in satisfactory levels as per CPCB at 9 amAmid NCRs prolonged air pollution crisis expecting mothers find themselves at the forefront of its adverse effects The delicate particulate matter in the air has potential repercussions on foetal development contributing to issues like low birth weight and preterm birth Dr Shweta Wazir Consultant Obstetrician amp Gynaecologist Motherhood Hospitals Gurugram told IANSIn addition Wazir said that the constant exposure to pollution heightens stress and anxiety levels impacting the mental wellbeing of pregnant womenAs their immune systems become compromised the risk of infections during pregnancy rises she saidA study published on Thursday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives showed that certain pollutants can negatively alter anogenital distance a measure of prenatal exposure to hormonesResearchers at the Rutgers University in the US suggest that air pollution can interfere with normal hormone activity during critical periods of prenatal and early infant developmentThis disruption may have longterm consequences for reproductive health they said Air pollution is a major public health concernThe hazardous air quality poses significant respiratory risks increasing the likelihood of complications such as asthma and bronchitisHowever pregnant and expecting women are particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects It is because pregnant and expecting women are breathing for two The placenta which is the organ that connects the mother to the foetus is permeable to air pollutants And the foetus which is developing rapidly is more vulnerable to the effects of environmental toxins Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy has been linked to several adverse health outcomes including preterm birth low birth weight congenital heart defects asthma and autism spectrum disorder Dr Priyanka Suhag Consultant Dept of Obstetrics amp Gynaecology at the CK Birla Hospital R Delhi told IANSNisha Bhatnagar MBBS MD ObGyn Medical Director Infinite Fertility added that daily exposure to high pollution levels is increasingly recognised as a significant contributor to declining fertilityBesides womens reproductive health prolonged exposure to bad air also affects mens sperm qualityDeteriorating air quality not only affects respiratory health but also leads to reduced sexual drive among couples trying to conceive Exposure to air with estrogenic and antiandrogenic substances can impair testosterone and sperm production the doctor told IANSAir pollution can be a silent adversary to fertility affecting both men and women The toxins in polluted air may disrupt hormonal balance and impair reproductive health The experts suggested limiting outdoor activities during times when air pollution levels are highest focus on a balanced diet regular exercise and stress management to support overall health and engage in activities like prenatal yoga and meditation for stress reliefTo protect your fertility consider wearing masks in highly polluted areas Prioritising a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise can also mitigate the impact of air pollution Awareness precaution and timely interventions are our allies in the fight for reproductive wellbeing Dr Lavi Sodhi Consultant MBBS DNB Obstetrics and Gynaecology Birla Fertility amp IVF Lajpat Nagar told IANSThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever