Air pollution in China kills 64,000 babies every year in the womb: report

According to a recent study, air pollution in China claims the lives of 64,000 unborn children every year. This comes despite efforts by capital city Beijing to control pollution over the past ten years, a report said. south china morning post (SCMP).

According to a study of 137 countries, 40 percent of stillbirths in Asia, Africa and Latin America in 2015 were attributable to exposure to PM 2.5, which is mostly produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

According to the study published in Nature Communications, China ranks fourth among the countries studied in terms of the number of fetal deaths attributed to PM 2.5, accounting for 98 percent of stillbirths worldwide.

Peking University researchers said, “Improvements in air quality in some of the 137 countries (eg, China) could reduce the reduction in the global burden of stillbirth. Therefore, meeting the World Health Organization’s air quality targets Stillbirth can be prevented.” He was quick to stress that recent efforts by the Chinese government to tackle air pollution have prevented more such deaths.

Despite the fact that the association between poor air quality and stillbirth is well established around the world, this study is the first to estimate the exact number of fetal deaths. In a 2020 report, UNICEF called the incident a “neglected tragedy”.

Although the underlying mechanism by which PM 2.5 causes fetal mortality is still unclear, the researchers suggested that pollution particles that cross the placenta may induce “irreversible fetal damage.” It can also prevent the fetus from getting enough oxygen.

About 10 years ago, when major cities such as Beijing were often covered in thick smog, PM 2.5 pollution became a significant public concern in China, leading to several government initiatives, scmp adds further.

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According to the outlet, Zhu Tong, another lead author of the study, said in an article on the link between bad air and stillbirths published on Peking University’s website last year, “In recent years, China has been working hard on a cure. A rapid improvement in air pollution and consequently air quality was observed, which is very important to protect the health of pregnant women and children.