Maternal and neonatal health problems, including gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, fetal macrosomia, preterm birth, and birth defects are the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide and are associated with various infant morbidities and adult chronic diseases. These reproductive health problems are complex and multifactorial with etiologically distinct subtypes, and few risk factors have been established.
Growing evidence has shown that environmental exposures are related to reproductive health. These include environmental pollutants, such as particulate matters, nitrogen dioxide, etc; environmental chemical exposure, such as phthalate diesters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, polychlorinated biphenyls, etc; and lifestyle/diet/supplementation factors, etc. However, the results of previously published studies are inconsistent and few studies have been conducted to investigate these associations during the preconception period as well as the entire pregnancy. The mechanisms underlying the link between environmental exposures and reproductive health are still poorly understood.
This Research Topic aims to fill the literature gap regarding the effects of perinatal environmental exposure on maternal and neonatal health, as well as the underlying mechanism between them. We hope this Research Topic would provide novel evidence on the effects of perinatal environmental exposure on maternal and neonatal health through epidemiologic studies with prospective and/or longitudinal settings, national-registry or survey data, or intervention trials involving the intervention of environmental exposure during preconception and pregnancy periods.
We welcome Original Research and Reviews focusing on, but not limited to, the following subtopics:
• The effect of perinatal environmental exposures on maternal health.
• The effect of perinatal environmental exposures on neonatal health.
• The effect of co-exposure to multiple environmental factors and their interactions on maternal and neonatal health.
• The burden of environmental pollutants/chemicals on maternal and neonatal health.
• The underlying mechanism of environmental exposure on reproductive health.
• The intervention and control strategies regarding environmental exposure to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Keywords: Perinatal Environmental Exposure, Reproductive Health, Maternal and Neonatal Health, Epidemiology, Biomechanism
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
