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CME Credit Offered
CME Credit Offered
Abstract Award
Abstract Award
Recording available 2/16-5/2
Recording available 2/16-5/2
AIUM Credit
AIUM Credit
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Foundation Awardee
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Abstract Award
Abstract Award
Foundation Awardee
Foundation Awardee

Poster Session 3

Category: Epidemiology

Poster Session 3

(946) Impact of Proximity to Sources of Pollution on Birth Outcomes

Thursday, February 12, 2026
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM  
Objective:
Nearly one in four Americans lives near a hazardous pollution site. These sites are disproportionately located in low-income, Black, and Hispanic communities. This study sought to investigate the association between residential proximity to sites of environmental pollution and pregnancy outcomes.

Study Design:
This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort (2017-2020) of patients with singleton pregnancies delivered at a single Midwestern center. Consenting patients were enrolled before 20 weeks’ gestation and followed through delivery. Pollution sites included solid waste landfills, active industrial sites (per EPA toxic release inventory) and sites containing hazardous waste (EPA Superfund sites). ArcGIS Pro was used to geocode addresses and calculate the distance in miles between maternal residential addresses and pollution sites. Primary outcome was neonatal birthweight. Secondary outcomes were composites of adverse obstetric (OB) and neonatal outcomes.  Linear and logistic regression models were used to compare outcomes between close (< 1 mile, commonly used by EPA as toxic waste buffer zone) and distant (≥1 mile) residential proximity to pollution sites.

Results:
Among 1,139 patients from the parent study with geocoded addresses, 707 (62%) lived within 1 mile of a pollution site. Patients living close to a pollution site were more likely to be younger, identify as Black, and report tobacco and illicit drug use. After adjusting for age, race, tobacco and drug use, close proximity to a pollution site was not associated with a significant difference in neonatal birthweight, adverse OB outcomes, or adverse neonatal outcomes.

Conclusion:
In this cohort, close residential proximity to a pollution site was not associated with significant differences in birthweight or adverse pregnancy outcomes after adjusting for key sociodemographic and behavioral factors. While proximity to environmental pollution sites may reflect broader disparities in social determinants of health, these findings suggest that distance alone may not fully capture the risk conferred by environmental exposures during pregnancy.