California wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy linked to autism risk in children
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- New research published in Environmental Science & Technology suggests that pregnant women's exposure to wildfire smoke, especially during the third trimester, may increase the risk of autism in their children, with risk rising alongside the number of smoky days experienced.
- The study analyzed over 200,000 births in Southern California from 2006 to 2014, finding a 10-23% increased autism risk correlated with wildfire smoke exposure measured by PM 2.5 levels, particularly among women who did not change residences during pregnancy.
- Researchers highlight that wildfire smoke contains unique toxic compounds and tends to cause intense, short-term exposure spikes during critical fetal brain development periods in late pregnancy, though the exact mechanisms linking smoke to autism remain unclear.
- Experts caution that
