Background: Half the world's population lives in urban areas. It is therefore important to identify characteristics of the built environment that are beneficial to human health. Urban greenness has been associated with improvements in a diverse range of health conditions, including birth outcomes; however, few studies have attempted to distinguish potential effects of greenness from those of other spatially correlated exposures related to the built environment.
Objectives: We aimed to investigate associations between residential greenness and birth outcomes and evaluate the influence of spatially correlated built environment factors on these associations.
Methods: We examined associations between residential greenness [measured using satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within 100 m of study participants' homes] and birth outcomes in a cohort of 64,705 singleton births (from 1999-2002) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We also evaluated associations after adjusting for spatially correlated built environmental factors that may influence birth outcomes, including exposure to air pollution and noise, neighborhood walkability, and distance to the nearest park.
Results: An interquartile increase in greenness (0.1 in residential NDVI) was associated with higher term birth weight (20.6 g; 95% CI: 16.5, 24.7) and decreases in the likelihood of small for gestational age, very preterm (< 30 weeks), and moderately preterm (30-36 weeks) birth. Associations were robust to adjustment for air pollution and noise exposures, neighborhood walkability, and park proximity.
Conclusions: Increased residential greenness was associated with beneficial birth outcomes in this population-based cohort. These associations did not change after adjusting for other spatially correlated built environment factors, suggesting that alternative pathways (e.g., psychosocial and psychological mechanisms) may underlie associations between residential greenness and birth outcomes.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4181932 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1308049 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Relaxin in pregnancy: a narrative review of a pleiotropic molecule.
Minerva Obstet Gynecol
January 2025
Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mothers, Children and Adults, Policlinic University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Introduction: Relaxin is a hormone primarily produced by the corpus luteum during pregnancy, and it plays a critical role in various physiological processes related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Evidence Acquisition: Studies have suggested a possible link between relaxin levels and preterm birth. Relaxin's effects on the cervix and pelvic ligaments suggest it could influence the mode of delivery.
The role of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in female assisted reproductive technology treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Assist Reprod Genet
January 2025
Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, China.
The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the use of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in female undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) on reproductive outcomes. A literature search was performed using electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang data, Geen Medical, and Cochrane Library). Risk ratio (RR), odds ratio (OR), and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for various outcomes were presented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaternal and Infant Outcomes in a Subset of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in South Carolina.
South Med J
February 2025
the Department of Public Health Sciences.
Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD), which disproportionately affects minorities, increases complications during pregnancy. Severe maternal mortality is increased in women with SCD, including morbidity related to the disease and other nondisease-related complications. It also can have devastating complications for fetuses, with increases in premature birth and low birth weight.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To assess the association between periodontal health and pregnancy or delivery complications in type 1 diabetic (TIDM) and non-diabetic pregnant women.
Materials And Methods: 15 TIDM and 15 non-diabetic primiparous women were enrolled in the prospective case-control study. We compared periodontal status, levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), gestational week of birth, birth weight of a newborn and pregnancy or delivery complications between the groups.
Sedation and Anesthesia in Very Preterm or Very Low Birth Weight Infants on Neurodevelopmental Outcome: Methodology and Preliminary Results of an Ongoing Systematic Review.
J Neurosurg Anesthesiol
January 2025
Departments of Anesthesiology.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!