Higher Fish Consumption in Pregnancy May Confer Protection against the Harmful Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter (original) (raw)

nal education, parity, the gender of the child, gestational age and the season of birth. Results: The study showed that the adjusted birth weight was significantly lower in newborns whose mothers were exposed to particulate matter greater than 46.3 g/m 3 (␤ coefficient =-97.02, p = 0.032). Regression analysis stratified by the level of maternal fish consumption (in tertiles) showed that the deficit in birth weight amounted to 133.26 g (p = 0.052) in newborns whose mothers reported low fish intake (! 91 g/week). The birth weight deficit in newborns whose mothers reported medium (91-205 g/week) or higher fish intake (1 205 g/week) was insignificant. The interaction term between PM 2.5 and fish intake levels was also insignificant (␤ =-107,35, p = 0.215). Neither gestational age nor birth weight correlated with maternal fish consumption. Conclusions: The results suggest that a higher consumption of fish by women during pregnancy may reduce the risk of adverse effects of prenatal exposure to toxicants and highlight the fact that a full assessment of adverse birth outcomes resulting from prenatal exposure to ambient hazards should consider maternal nutrition during pregnancy.