TY - JOUR

T1 - Exposure to natural environments during pregnancy and birth outcomes in 11 european birth cohorts

AU - Torres Toda, Maria

AU - Avraam, Demetris

AU - James Cadman, Timothy

AU - Fossati, Serena

AU - de Castro, Montserrat

AU - Dedele, Audrius

AU - Donovan, Geoffrey

AU - Elhakeem, Ahmed

AU - Estarlich, Marisa

AU - Fernandes, Amanda

AU - Gonçalves, Romy

AU - Grazuleviciene, Regina

AU - Harris, Jennifer R.

AU - Harskamp-van Ginkel, Margreet W.

AU - Heude, Barbara

AU - Ibarluzea, Jesús

AU - Iñiguez, Carmen

AU - WV Jaddoe, Vincent

AU - Lawlor, Deborah

AU - Lertxundi, Aitana

AU - Lepeule, Johanna

AU - McEachan, Rosemary

AU - Moirano, Giovenale

AU - LT Nader, Johanna

AU - Nybo Andersen, Anne Marie

AU - Pedersen, Marie

AU - Pizzi, Costanza

AU - Roumeliotaki, Theano

AU - Santos, Susana

AU - Sunyer, Jordi

AU - Yang, Tiffany

AU - Vafeiadi, Marina

AU - GM Vrijkotte, Tanja

AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark

AU - Vrijheid, Martine

AU - Foraster, Maria

AU - Dadvand, Payam

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Research suggests that maternal exposure to natural environments (i.e., green and blue spaces) promotes healthy fetal growth. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous across regions, with very few studies on the effects of blue spaces. This study evaluated associations between maternal exposure to natural environments and birth outcomes in 11 birth cohorts across nine European countries. This study, part of the LifeCycle project, was based on a total sample size of 69,683 newborns with harmonised data. For each participant, we calculated seven indicators of residential exposure to natural environments: surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) buffers, distance to the nearest green space, accessibility to green space, distance to the nearest blue space, and accessibility to blue space. Measures of birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA) were extracted from hospital records. We used pooled linear and logistic regression models to estimate associations between exposure to the natural environment and birth outcomes, controlling for the relevant covariates. We evaluated the potential effect modification by socioeconomic status (SES) and region of Europe and the influence of ambient air pollution on the associations. In the pooled analyses, residential surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m buffer was associated with increased birth weight and lower odds for SGA. Higher residential distance to green space was associated with lower birth weight and higher odds for SGA. We observed close to null associations for accessibility to green space and exposure to blue space. We found stronger estimated magnitudes for those participants with lower educational levels, from more deprived areas, and living in the northern European region. Our associations did not change notably after adjustment for air pollution. These findings may support implementing policies to promote natural environments in our cities, starting in more deprived areas.

AB - Research suggests that maternal exposure to natural environments (i.e., green and blue spaces) promotes healthy fetal growth. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous across regions, with very few studies on the effects of blue spaces. This study evaluated associations between maternal exposure to natural environments and birth outcomes in 11 birth cohorts across nine European countries. This study, part of the LifeCycle project, was based on a total sample size of 69,683 newborns with harmonised data. For each participant, we calculated seven indicators of residential exposure to natural environments: surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) buffers, distance to the nearest green space, accessibility to green space, distance to the nearest blue space, and accessibility to blue space. Measures of birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA) were extracted from hospital records. We used pooled linear and logistic regression models to estimate associations between exposure to the natural environment and birth outcomes, controlling for the relevant covariates. We evaluated the potential effect modification by socioeconomic status (SES) and region of Europe and the influence of ambient air pollution on the associations. In the pooled analyses, residential surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m buffer was associated with increased birth weight and lower odds for SGA. Higher residential distance to green space was associated with lower birth weight and higher odds for SGA. We observed close to null associations for accessibility to green space and exposure to blue space. We found stronger estimated magnitudes for those participants with lower educational levels, from more deprived areas, and living in the northern European region. Our associations did not change notably after adjustment for air pollution. These findings may support implementing policies to promote natural environments in our cities, starting in more deprived areas.

KW - Fetal growth.

KW - Greenness

KW - Nature

KW - Parks

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Prenatal

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107648

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107648

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36436464

AN - SCOPUS:85142494708

VL - 170

JO - Environment international

JF - Environment international

SN - 0160-4120

M1 - 107648

ER -