Tips to Prevent Yourself From Air Pollution During Pregnancy

A pregnancy entails making a lot of changes in a woman's life. You need to take care of the food you eat, medications and limit many things that are not favorable during pregnancy. But what do you do about issues out of your control? The air we breathe is becoming toxic day by day. Cities like Pune report hazardous levels of air pollution almost every day. According to a study, the adverse effects of pollution are affecting pregnant women and their babies heavily. Hence, it is time to seek professional advice from the best gynaecologist in Pune. And reduce the impact as much as you can.

What Constitutes Air Pollution?

Before we go on finding the solution for tackling the issue at hand. It is wise and smart to have exact knowledge of what we are dealing with. Air pollution is present everywhere. You may think that metro cities or densely populated areas 

Suffer from toxic fumes. But that is incorrect; you will be exposed to different levels whether you are in a town or a city. Usually, air pollution constitutes nitrogen dioxide, ozone, vehicle smoke, particulate matter, etc. Many critical ailments such as cancer, asthma, etc., occur due to the poisonous air. A Bajaj Finserv Health card helps you battle these diseases without financial worries.

How does Air Pollution Impact Pregnant Women?

Mother is the only source of nourishment for the unborn baby, be it food or air. Breathing air filled with minute particulate matter affects the growth of the fetus. This lowers the immunity of both mother and the child and can increase the risk of illnesses and malnourishment during pregnancy. There are various dangers associated with exposure to air pollution during pregnancy. Here are a few of them-

Premature Birth- Air pollution is the leading reason behind preterm births. Nearly 7 million premature deaths happen every year, a scary number enough to alarm anyone. A premature baby can develop neurological disorders and physical disabilities.???????

Low Birth Weight- Because of the pollutants in the placenta, the nutrition delivery gets restrained. This leads to low birth weight among babies, which may result in malnourishment. In the long term, such babies are more prone to hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Preeclampsia- Suffering from asthma during pregnancy may turn into preeclampsia. It causes livers and kidneys to function slowly and elevates blood pressure levels. If not given due care, it can lead to a lack of oxygen to the baby.

Neurological Disorders- The high particulate matter in pollution is deadly and highly harmful. According to a study, pregnant women exposed to such air are like to give birth to a child with neurological disorders such as autism.

Miscarriage Risk- Several studies have linked miscarriages with extended exposure to air pollution. The outdoor air pollution is riskier. Lower fertility rates among men and women are also connected with outdoor air pollution.

What are the Ways to Prevent Pregnant Women from Air Pollution?

It is impossible to counteract the harmful effects of air pollution completely. But there are a lot of ways that can reduce the impact considerably.

Track Air Quality

You can check the air quality index daily on your smartphone. Keeping track of it will help you in knowing whether to go out or not. The more the AQI, the higher is pollution. For instance, 0-50 AQI value is safe, and anything above 50 is considered hazardous. Usually, the best time to go out is either early morning or in the evening after sunset.

Invest in an Air Purifier

Surprisingly, indoor pollution is sometimes five times higher than the outside air. Though you can not do anything about the outdoors, indoor pollution can be reduced with an air purifier's help. Pollutants such as cooking smoke, allergens, and germs are no more a problem with this device. It helps in creating a conducive environment for you and your baby to breathe freely.

Grow Indoor Plants

Certain plants grow easily with minimum maintenance and clean indoor air significantly. Try planting them in every corner of your room or house. Plants such as Aloe vera and Chrysanthemum filter benzene. Bamboo palm and spider plants reduce carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. And the Indian staple Tulsi fights all the impurities easily. You can also add a few leaves to your tea and get a natural dose of immunity daily.

Diet and Exercise 

The best gynaecologist in Pune emphasizes maintaining a healthy regime for reducing pollution issues. Include raw fruits and vegetables in your diet for more fiber and nutrition. Similarly, make a routine and stick to it, do not take a gap of 3 hours between two meals. Get active and try some pregnancy-friendly exercises for improving heart rate. Try breathing exercises in the morning to improve lung functioning.

Final Thoughts

Pregnant women are highly susceptible to the dangers of air polluting. Hence, inculcating these tips will act as a barrier. But it is wise to be financially armored for medical needs with a Bajaj finserv health card.