MODERATOR NOTE Re: Pollution harms foetuses: study - fetuses

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>

> NO MORE EMAILS!!!!

> Pollution harms foetuses: study - fetuses

>

>

> In the US, need we wonder who benefits when the EPA decrees that

> California and other states shall not adopt more stringent

regulations

> against pollution from vehicles? Amidst the blessed sanctity

known as

> The Economy - fetal and infant wellness is a low priority. A

clean-air

> item follows the polluting-fetuses article.

>

> - - - -

>

> Pollution harms foetuses: study

>

> Kate Benson Medical Reporter

> January 8, 2008

> http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pollution-harms-foetuses-

study/2008/01/07/1199554571559.html

>

> FOETUSES exposed to high levels of air pollution, such as traffic

fumes,

> are significantly smaller and can have lower intelligence and

more

> cardiovascular problems than babies in country areas, a world-

first

> study has found.

>

> Researchers in Brisbane studied ultrasound scans from more than

15,000

> foetuses during a 10-year period and found that women living in

> postcodes with high levels of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide

and

> particulate matter in the air had babies with shorter femur bones

and

> smaller head and abdominal circumferences.

>

> Nitrogen dioxide is usually produced by kerosene heaters,

unvented gas

> stoves, heaters and passive smoking, while sulphur dioxide comes

from

> diesel-powered vehicles and some industrial processes, such as

> fertiliser manufacturing, aluminium smelting and steel making.

> Particulate matter is found in car-exhaust fumes.

>

> A senior research fellow at the Queensland University of

Technology and

> co-author of the study, Barnett, said yesterday the

research was

> the first of its kind to use ultrasound measurement as a direct

estimate

> of growth, rather than birth weight as a delayed measure of

growth.

>

> He said only foetuses between 13 and 26 weeks gestation in women

who

> lived within two kilometres of a pollution monitoring station

were

> included in the study, published in the international journal

> Environmental Health Perspectives.

>

> " When analysing scans from women at different distances to

monitoring

> sites, we found that there was a negative relationship between

> pollutants such as sulphur dioxide found in diesel emissions, and

> ultrasound measurement, " Dr Barnett said.

>

> " If the pollution levels were high, the size of the foetus

decreased

> significantly. "

>

> Dr Barnett said with research showing that bigger babies were

healthier

> in childhood and adulthood, foetus size during pregnancy was

important.

>

> " Birth weight is a major predictor of later health; for example,

bigger

> babies have been shown to have higher IQs in childhood and lower

risk of

> cardiovascular disease in adulthood, " he said.

>

> " What happens when you're a foetus can have major implications

for the

> rest of your life. "

>

> Dr Barnett said it was wise for pregnant women to reduce their

exposure

> to air pollution by not walking along busy roads, not riding

motor

> scooters or motorcycles and limiting the time spent waiting in

traffic.

>

> " On a practical level it can be difficult to reduce your exposure

to air

> pollution, but the less exposure a pregnant woman has, the better

off

> their baby will be. "

>

> - - - -

>

> *Environmental Groups are teaming up to make sure that the EPA

does its

> job.*

>

> You can help! Tell Administrator that the EPA's job is

NOT to

> limit environmental progress! >>

<http://go.care2.com/e/XzoM/su1g/k.jp>

>

> Environmental Defense and four other nonprofit groups filed a

lawsuit on

> Wednesday to overturn the decision made by the EPA denying

California's

> request to implement a landmark law limiting global warming

pollution

> from new automobiles.

>

> The State of California has also filed its own legal challenge to

EPA's

> decision in the same court. It is expected that 15 states will

> immediately file a motion to intervene in support of California.

>

> This is an outrage. Please join Environmental Defense, other

nonprofit

> organizations and fellow concerned Americans like me in calling

> Administrator on his blunder.

> <http://go.care2.com/e/XzoM/su1g/k.jp>

>

> Sincerely,

>

>

> Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team

>

> *

>

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