Wildfire smoke is now the primary pollutant affecting pregnancy, study shows

A 16-year study (2003-2019) found wildfire smoke has become the primary pollutant affecting pregnancies, contributing to risks like low birth weight and preterm births. While pollution from cars and industry declined, wildfire smoke levels increased, with 65% of days exceeding air quality standards linked to wildfires. The study analyzed 64.5 million pregnancies across 2,800 U.S. counties.