The study, led by Dr Mari Herigstad in the University’s School of Biosciences and Chemistry, highlights the urgent need for improved CO monitoring and support for families to protect maternal and foetal health.
CO levels were monitored continuously over two weeks in 161 households selected for a range of factors including proximity to gas appliances, a risk factor for environmental CO exposure. Exhaled breath CO measurements were taken before and after the monitoring period.
The research, carried out as part of the Investigating Prenatal Pollution and Child Outcomes project, has been published in the BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Journal.
Key findings include:
- Widespread CO presence - 58% of the 161 households monitored had detectable levels of CO, with 32% exceeding 4ppm (parts per million) and 14% surpassing 10ppm
- Elevated CO levels were strongly linked to the use of gas cooking appliances and the presence of smokers in the household
- Six households recorded CO levels above the World Health Organisation's recommended limits, posing significant health risks to both mothers and their unborn children
The research also revealed a correlation between higher CO exposure and lower socio-economic status, emphasising the need for targeted interventions in vulnerable communities.
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas that poses a threat to life at concentrations of just a few hundred ppm. The developing foetus is particularly vulnerable to CO exposure, and maternal exposure to much lower levels of the gas is associated with adverse outcomes such as low birth weight.
Lead researcher Dr Mari Herigstad said: "Carbon monoxide is a silent threat that can have devastating effects on maternal and foetal health. Our findings underscore the critical need for public health initiatives to raise awareness about CO risks and to implement effective monitoring and prevention measures, especially in households with pregnant women."
Gerarda Kendrick, CO Research Trust Grants Lead, commented: “What Dr Herigstad and her team have highlighted with this study shows that there is a need for more awareness into the effects of CO exposure on pregnant women, the impact shown is worrying especially for vulnerable groups. It is clear that education within our midwifery community is vital to reducing the incidence of CO exposure to both the mother and foetus.”
