Air Pollution Impacts Fetal Brain Development
Research links nitrogen dioxide and black carbon to brain structure differences
June 19, 2025
Researchers reported in The Lancet Planetary Health that fetal brain development is affected by the mother’s level of exposure to air pollution. However, the researchers were not certain if the brain structure differences recorded would cause any issues later.
Researchers in Barcelona studied data collected from 2018 to 2021 from 754 mother-fetus pairs. Participants underwent transvaginal neurosonography, a specialized ultrasound that allows the analysis of fetal brain shape and structures, during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Higher prenatal exposure to nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and black carbon in pregnant women’s homes, workplaces, and commuting routes was linked with increased brain regions that contain cerebrospinal fluid, a liquid that plays a role in nutrient delivery and waste removal.
Researchers said higher exposure to black carbon was also associated with decreased depth of a groove in the brain called the lateral sulcus, which they believe might suggest less brain maturation.
However, researchers said all brain structures’ measurements stayed within the range considered normal.
The scientists added that more research is needed to determine whether these effects are reversible after birth or if they persist, and whether they have any implications for neurodevelopmental outcomes in later stages.
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