Air Pollution Exposure and Birth Weight in the ECHO Cohort

Are there critical windows of prenatal susceptibility to fine particulate matter exposure, and do they vary by geographic and demographic factors?This cohort study of 16 868 mother-newborn pairs in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort found that greater fine particulate matter exposure was negatively associated with birth weight, with a critical window during early pregnancy. The magnitude of association and windows of susceptibility varied by sex and US region but not race and ethnicity.These findings on windows of susceptibility to environmental exposures can help guide research on underlying developmental mechanisms and can inform strategies for reducing exposure during vulnerable periods.

Corresponding Author: Whitney Cowell, PhD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 227 E 30th St, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10016 (whitney.cowell@nyulangone.org).

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