Wildland fire smoke and birth defects in California

BACKGROUND: Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality and an important contributor to childhood and adult morbidity. Major structural birth defects are diagnosed in 2 to 4% of infants in the United States. Environmental contaminants, including air pollution, have been suggested as potential risk factors for these anomalies. OBJECTIVE: ), and the risk of selected structural birth defects in the San Joaquin Valley of California. METHODS: . Logistic regression was used to analyze the odds of 14 birth defects in relation to quartile-based exposure metrics during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, adjusting for relevant covariates. RESULTS: (OR = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.66). SIGNIFICANCE: Exposure to wildfire smoke during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy may contribute to the occurrence of certain structural birth defects in California's San Joaquin Valley. These results highlight the need for further research to corroborate these findings and to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations. IMPACT STATEMENT: This study examines the association between wildfire smoke exposure in California and risk of several structural birth defects. We found associations between wildfire smoke exposure during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy and increased risk of cleft lip, coarctation of the aorta and spina bifida. The association between wildfire smoke and spina bifida is consistent with prior research findings similar to those of air pollution from other sources, primarily traffic, in California.