Love is in the air this time of year. But for young couples
looking to start a family, there is something else in the air that may hinder
that pursuit. Recent studies have linked exposure to urban air pollution with
stillbirth, preterm birth, birth defects and low birthweight. City smog is also
tied, physicians say, to pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia,
premature membrane rupture and intrauterine growth restriction — a condition
that occurs when the fetus does not receive adequate support from the mother
via the placenta, resulting in extremely low birthweight.