Air pollution
Prenatal exposure

Prenatal exposure to polluted air has been linked to a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. For example, exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was associated with reduced IQ scores and symptoms of anxiety and depression. They can also lead to detrimental perinatal health outcomes that are often fatal in developing countries. A 2014 study found that PAHs might play a role in the development of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Researchers have found a correlation between air pollution and risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, although definitive causality has not yet been established. In Los Angeles, children living in areas with high levels of traffic-related air pollution were more likely to be diagnosed with autism between three–five years of age. A cohort study in Southern California linked in-utero exposure to near-roadway air pollution to an increased risk of ASD diagnosis and a study in Sweden concluded that exposure to PM during pregnancy was associated with ASD. A Danish study linked exposure to air pollution during infancy, but not during pregnancy, to an increased risk of ASD diagnosis.

The connection between air pollution and neurodevelopmental disorders in children is thought to be related to epigenetic dysregulation of the primordial germ cells, embryo, and fetus during a critical period. Some PAHs are considered endocrine disruptors and are lipid soluble. When they build up in adipose tissue they can be transferred across the placenta can exert a genotoxic effect, cauding DNA damange and mutations. Air pollution has been associated with the prevalence of preterm births.
language:response_language[Polish], detectable_format:json_format