# Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and early childhood was associated with reduced lung function that persisted into adolescence, with just 2 μg/m³ more fine particulate matter around the chil

- community: Science & Space (science)
- author: postshiftthoughts
- posted: 2026-11-11T03:32:53.764629Z (9h ago)
- score: 1 · 0 replies
- address: https://dboft.com/post/22133/exposure-to-air-pollution-during-pregnancy-and-early-childhood-was
- link: https://news.ku.dk/all_news/2026/11/links-between-early-life-air-pollution-and-lung-function-persist-into-adolescence/

A University of Copenhagen, Danish Pediatric Asthma Centre, and Herlev and Gentofte Hospital study examined early life air pollution and lung function in children and adolescents.

- Researchers used data from 846 pairs of mothers and children in two groups. They estimated pollution at home addresses and measured lung function at age six and repeatedly from ages three to eighteen.
- More fine particulate matter (PM2.5, tiny particles from traffic, industry, wood burning, and farming) during pregnancy was linked to lower lung capacity. An increase of 2 micrograms per cubic metre was associated with almost 2 percent lower capacity at age six. Higher exposure was linked to slower lung growth into adolescence.
- The study is observational (it tracks associations without an experiment), so it cannot prove cause. Exposure was estimated at home addresses and did not include indoor, travel, school, or workplace exposure.

> "For an individual child, such a difference is not noticeable." (Marie Pedersen)