In Utero Household Air Pollution Exposure Is Associated with Reduced Pulmonary Function in Infants

Rationale: Household air pollution (HAP) exposure secondary to the burning of solid fuels is an independent predictor of childhood mortality, largely due to childhood pneumonia. HAP may affect lung development in utero and increase susceptibility to future respiratory disease. No study has investigated the association between HAP and lung development beginning in utero nor identified critical windows of exposure. Methods: The Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS) recruited women during early pregnancy and randomized them to one of three groups (two cookstove interventions and control). Four, seventy-two hour carbon monoxide (CO) personal air pollution exposure measurements were performed during pregnancy and interpolated to estimate weekly prenatal CO exposure. A subset of study children (n= 400) performed infant lung function testing per ATS protocol at age one month …