Air Quality and Maternal Health: Exploring the Connection to Preeclampsia
Chapter from the book:
Bilgili,
A.
(ed.)
2024.
Health Sciences Academic Research and Reviews.
Synopsis
Preeclampsia is an obstetric disease characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and various end-organ damages that begin after the 20th week of pregnancy. Its incidence varies between 2% and 8% of pregnancies worldwide and is responsible for 10% to 15% of maternal deaths. Despite its high incidence, the etiology of preeclampsia is still unknown. Although many maternal, placental, and fetal factors have been suggested for its etiology, it has been reported that environmental factors may also play an important role in the development of preeclampsia. Air pollution, an environmental factor, has also been considered as one of the predisposing factors for preeclampsia, and many air pollutants in the atmosphere have been associated with preeclampsia. It is thought that these air pollutants can induce systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as causing vascular endothelial damage and paving the way for endothelial dysfunction that leads to the development of preeclampsia. Pregnancy represents a special and sensitive period of life for women, as it brings extensive physiological and metabolic changes, as well as changes in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems that may lead to increased susceptibility to damage from environmental factors. Pregnant women are particularly sensitive to air pollution because it disrupts the balance between Treg and Th17 cell immunity, which are particularly important for normal placental development and maintenance of pregnancy, and is involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, resulting in increased sensitivity to pollutants. Studies on the effects of air pollution on preeclampsia are relatively recent, but increasing epidemiological evidence has shown that preeclampsia is associated with maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy.