Expecting a baby? Here’s something you need to know: according to a new study featured on Science Daily, everyday environmental toxins may lead to congenital heart defects in unborn children.
Researchers analyzed the emission records dated 2004 to 2011 by a Canadian pollution tracking company, and they found that mothers who were exposed to high levels of industrial air pollution may be more likely to bear children with congenital heart defects.
“For now, consumers and healthcare providers should be educated about the potential toll of pollutants on the developing heart, says Deliwe P. Ngwezi, lead researcher from the University of Alberta in Canada. “As we have observed in the preliminary results, when the emissions decrease, the rates of congenital heart defects also decrease.”
Would-be mothers are advised to stay away from high-traffic areas, or, at the very least, cover their noses while commuting.
(Photo by Keith Bacongco via Flickr Creative Commons)
