TY - JOUR

T1 - Prenatal air pollution exposure and neonatal health

AU - Palma, Alessandro

AU - Petrunyk, Inna

AU - Vuri, Daniela

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2022/5/1

Y1 - 2022/5/1

N2 - Air pollution has been shown to have adverse effects on many health outcomes including respiratory effects, cardiovascular effects, and mortality. However, evidence on the effects of prenatal exposure is still limited. We investigate the causal impact of prenatal exposure to air pollution on neonatal health in Italy in the 2000s. We exploit variation in rainfall shocks to instrument for non-random air pollution exposure. Our empirical setting combines detailed information on mother's residential location from birth certificates with PM10 concentrations from air pollution monitors. Ten additional units in the average PM10 level (approximately one standard deviation) would decrease birth weight by about 0.5% and gestational age by 0.16%; it would increase the prevalence of low birth weight by 22% and of preterm birth by 16%. The effects are stronger in magnitude for third trimester exposure and for less educated mothers. These findings suggest that the health impacts of air pollution on newborns are unequally distributed in the population.

AB - Air pollution has been shown to have adverse effects on many health outcomes including respiratory effects, cardiovascular effects, and mortality. However, evidence on the effects of prenatal exposure is still limited. We investigate the causal impact of prenatal exposure to air pollution on neonatal health in Italy in the 2000s. We exploit variation in rainfall shocks to instrument for non-random air pollution exposure. Our empirical setting combines detailed information on mother's residential location from birth certificates with PM10 concentrations from air pollution monitors. Ten additional units in the average PM10 level (approximately one standard deviation) would decrease birth weight by about 0.5% and gestational age by 0.16%; it would increase the prevalence of low birth weight by 22% and of preterm birth by 16%. The effects are stronger in magnitude for third trimester exposure and for less educated mothers. These findings suggest that the health impacts of air pollution on newborns are unequally distributed in the population.

KW - air pollution

KW - environmental justice

KW - environmental policies

KW - IV

KW - neonatal health

KW - Economics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122632469&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/98df501d-0888-37ba-949c-78d50e86d3af/

U2 - 10.1002/hec.4474

DO - 10.1002/hec.4474

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 35001469

VL - 31

SP - 729

EP - 759

JO - Health Economics

JF - Health Economics

SN - 1057-9230

IS - 5

ER -