How common air pollutants during pregnancy affect mothers and babies
Official title: Impact of BTEX Chemical Exposure During Pregnancy to Maternal and Fetal Well-Being
Funded at Wayne State University · NIH-11122286 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether breathing certain air chemicals during pregnancy changes mothers' and newborns' immune health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wayne State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $313,378 |
| NIH project number | 5P42ES030991-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11122286 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be pregnant people (and their newborns), especially those living in urban areas with higher air pollution such as Detroit.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or whose health problems are unrelated to pregnancy or infant immune development are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you are pregnant, researchers at Wayne State are trying to understand how exposure to volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in the air might cause inflammation in the placenta and change how your baby's immune system develops. They will examine placental and related tissues and track immune signals to see how those changes could affect babies' responses to infections after birth. The work focuses on pregnancies in Detroit, where preterm birth rates are high, and combines sample analysis with environmental exposure information to connect pollution and pregnancy outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to ways to reduce harmful exposures or protect newborns from pollution-related immune problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked air pollution during pregnancy to preterm birth and altered infant immune outcomes, but detailed biological pathways remain under study.
Where this research is happening
-
Wayne State University
Detroit, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mor, Gil G — Wayne State University
- Study coordinator: Mor, Gil G
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Impact of VOCs in Pregnancy on Baby and Mom’s Health
This project looks at how exposure to airborne chemicals during pregnancy could affect a mom’s health and a baby’s growth and immune system.
-
Effects of chemical exposure during pregnancy on mothers and babies
This study is looking at how certain chemicals in the air during pregnancy might affect the health of moms and their babies, especially in relation to preterm births, and it aims to find ways to keep both mothers and their little ones healthier.
-
How air pollution during pregnancy affects fetal growth over time
This study looks at how air pollution affects the growth of babies in the womb during pregnancy, using ultrasound images to track changes over time, and it aims to help expectant parents understand when their babies might be most at risk from pollution.
-
Healthy work design and worker well-being
A multi-site program aims to improve the health and well-being of workers by studying how work design affects safety, stress, and quality of life.
-
Postoperative Pain Guidelines for Pregnancy: Safer, Patient-Centered Opioid Use
We’re creating patient-friendly guidelines to help doctors manage pain after delivery and surgery in pregnant people, aiming to reduce opioid overuse and improve safety.
-
HPV and pregnancy risk: a big study following 1,280 pregnancies
A large pregnancy study at UTMB looks at whether human papillomavirus (HPV) during pregnancy is linked to problems like preterm birth.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.