Effect of Particulate Matter 2.5 on Fetal Growth in Male and Preterm Infants through Oxidative Stress

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM(2.5)) levels are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this retrospective cohort study, we examined whether the concentration of indoor PM(2.5) affected pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, we evaluated biomarkers of pregnancy-related complications caused by fine dust. We collected clinical information and data based on residential addresses from the Air Korea database to assess PM(2.5) exposure levels. As a multicenter prospective cohort study, we measured the indoor PM(2.5) concentration and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. The PM(2.5) concentration of the low-birth-weight (LBW) delivery group was 27.21 μg/m(3), which was significantly higher than that of the normal-birth-weight (NBW) group (26.23 μg/m(3)) (p = 0.02). When the newborns were divided by sex, the PM(2.5) concentration of the LBW group was 27.89 μg/m(3) in male infants, which was significantly higher than that of the NBW group (26.26 μg/m(3)) (p = 0.01). In the prospective study, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine significantly increased in the high-concentration group (113.55 ng/mL, compared with 92.20 ng/mL in the low-concentration group); in the high-concentration group, the rates of preterm birth (PTB) and small size for gestational age significantly increased (p < 0.01, p = 0.01). This study showed an association between PM(2.5), oxidative stress, and fetal growth, with the PTB group being more vulnerable.