The climate crisis is increasing wildfires and extreme heat, which put pregnant women and children at risk. Below are examples of some of the research led by Dr. Amy Padula and colleagues to estimate associations between wildfire smoke and adverse birth outcomes.
Dr. Padula is serving as a consultant to expand wildfires research to EaRTH Center members.
We examined health impacts of exposure to wildfire smoke in California from 2007-2020 and found exposures during pregnancy were associated with preterm birth. We also examined the Camp Fire in 2018 and found similar results using generalized synthetic controls.
As part of the AIR Study, Gabriela Gutierrez, UCSF medical student and EaRTH Center Environmental Scholar, is examining how wildfire smoke during the 2020 wildfires impact IVF outcomes.
Working with our SPARK (Smoke from wildfires: Advancing Reproductive Knowledge) program, Anna Claire Fernandez, UCSF joint medical student and from EaRTH’s Environmental Scholar Program, published a paper showing wildfires between 2017-2020 in the San Francisco Bay Area were associated with higher birthweight and higher risk of large-for-gestational age.
In collaboration with the Gaw and Robinson Labs, our SPARK (Smoke from wildfires: Advancing Reproductive Knowledge) program is studying how pregnancies were affected by wildfire smoke that reached the Bay Area in recent years to learn how it affects fetal growth and development. We are also following pregnant people during wildfire events to learn more about how location and behaviors during wildfires affect biological changes in blood and placenta.
Associate Professor
UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Assistant Professor
UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Environmental Scholar
UCSF EaRTH Center
Associate Professor
UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Professor
Berkeley Public Health
Associate Researcher
Berkeley Public Health
Associate Professor
UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Assistant Professor
University of Washington School of Public Health
Associate Researcher
Berkeley Public Health
Published Studies
Despite the recent increase in the intensity and frequency of wildland fires in the United States, there is limited investigation into the impact of wildland fires on pregnancy-related mortality and morbidity. This study examined associations between maternal exposure to wildland fire smoke and severe maternal morbidity (SMM), or potentially life-threatening complications related to pregnancy or delivery, in a population-based cohort of California birthing people between 2007 and 2018.
Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality and an important contributor to childhood and adult morbidity. Major structural birth defects are diagnosed in 2 to 4% of infants in the United States. Environmental contaminants, including air pollution, have been suggested as potential risk factors for these anomalies.
Wildland fire smoke has been linked to preterm birth, but the relative contributions of exposure frequency, duration, and intensity remain unclear. We defined a smoke wave as two or more consecutive days with wildfire-specific particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 microns concentrations exceeding thresholds (5 and 20 μg/m3) and assessed the associations of preterm birth with several different metrics of exposure based on smoke waves experienced during pregnancy.
Exposure to PM2·5 from wildfire smoke during pregnancy has been implicated as a risk factor for preterm birth. We investigated this association in the prospective nationwide US Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort, focusing on prenatal wildfire PM2·5 exposure intensity, duration, and timing.
Camp Fire smoke exposure in California (November 8-22, 2018) was associated with increased rates of preterm birth, with sensitive windows in the first trimester.
Pregnancy, wildfire, California, preterm birth, CAMP fire
Commentary on a study entitled “Unhealthy air quality secondary to wildfires is associated with lower blastocyst yield” that examined the impact of the 2020 Oregon wildfires on gamete development and fertility outcomes.
Fertility, wildfire, SF Bay area, IVF, commentary
Wildfires in the Western United States are a growing and significant source of air pollution that is eroding decades of progress in air pollution reduction. The effects on preterm birth during critical periods of pregnancy are unknown.
Pregnancy, wildfire, California, preterm birth