Maternal air pollution exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy and markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction

Maternal exposure to air pollutants has been associated with pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. Endothelial dysfunction, an imbalance in vascular function, during pregnancy is considered a key element in the development of pre-eclampsia. Environmental exposure to particulate matter (PM) during the first trimester of pregnancy might increase maternal inflammatory status thus affecting fetal growth, possibly leading to preterm delivery.The purpose of the study was to evaluate possible effects of PM295 pregnant women were recruited. Individual PM exposure was assigned to each subject by calculating the mean of PMFor long-term exposure, we observed an increase in sVCAM-1 and a decrease of PAI-1 levels for each 10 μg/mThe present study showed that both long- and short-term exposures to PM are associated with changes in circulating levels of biomarkers in pregnant women reflecting systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction/activation. Our findings support the hypothesis that inflammation and endothelial dysfunction might have a central role in modulating the detrimental effects of air pollution exposure during pregnancy.