Maternal exposure to pollution, particularly during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, can affect specific brain structures of unborn babies in the womb, according to a study.

The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, showed that the changes were linked to brain imbalances, loss of motor coordination, and slow development.

"During mid to late gestation, the foetal brain enters a key phase of its development, making it particularly vulnerable to external factors such as pollution," Payam Dadvand, a researcher at Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain.