Title: Air Pollution | Project TENDR
Headings: Air Pollution
Air Pollution
TENDR: Air Pollution Profile
What is air pollution?
What are the main ways that air pollution gets into people’s bodies, including pregnant women and children?
What are the effects of air pollution on children’s brain development?

Content: When women are exposed during pregnancy, air pollutants can cross the placenta and impact their babies’ health and development. What are the effects of air pollution on children’s brain development? Prenatal and early childhood exposure to certain air pollutants is associated with developmental delays, reduced IQ, symptoms of anxiety, depression and inattention. Some emerging evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to traffic-related air pollutants may be risk factors for autism spectrum disorder. Research has linked air pollution with preterm birth and low birth weight, which are known risk factors for an array of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Exposure to air pollution in early life may affect brain function across the lifespan.