Toxic air pollution particles found in lungs and brains of unborn babies

Particles breathed by mothers pass to their vulnerable foetuses, with potentially lifelong consequencesToxic air pollution particles have been found in the lungs, livers and brains of unborn babies, long before they have taken their first breath. Researchers said their “groundbreaking”discovery was “very worrying”, as the gestation period of foetuses is the most vulnerable stage of human development.Thousands of black carbon particles were found in each cubic millimetre of tissue, which were breathed in by the mother during pregnancy and then passed through the bloodstream and placenta to the foetus.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Air pollution Pregnancy Environment Parents and parenting Health & wellbeing Science UK news Source Type: news