INTRODUCTION Ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for adverse birth outcomes, but the role of ultrafine particles (UFPs) is not well understood. Aircraft-origin UFPs adversely affect air quality over large residential areas downwind of airports, but their reproductive health burden remains uninvestigated. OBJECTIVES This analysis evaluated whether UFPs from jet aircraft emissions are associated with increased rates of preterm birth (PTB) among pregnant mothers living downwind of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). METHODS This population-based study used birth records, provided by the California Department of Public Health, to ascertain birth outcomes and a novel, validated geospatial UFP dispersion model approach to estimate in utero exposures. All mothers who gave birth from 2008 to 2016 while living within 15km of LAX were included in this analysis (N=174,186; including 15,134 PTBs). RESULTS In utero exposure to aircraft-origin UFPs was positively associated with PTB. The odds ratio (OR) per interquartile range (IQR) increase [9,200 particles per cubic centimeter (cc)] relative UFP exposure was 1.04 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 1.06]. When comparing the fourth quartile of UFP exposure to the first quartile, the OR for PTB was 1.14 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.20), adjusting for maternal demographic characteristics, exposure to traffic-related air pollution, and airport-related noise. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that emissions from aircraft play an etiologic role in PTBs, independent of noise and traffic-related air pollution exposures. These findings are of public health concern because UFP exposures downwind of airfields are common and may affect large, densely populated residential areas. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5732.

中文翻译：

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暴露于来自飞机排放物的子宫内超细颗粒的婴儿中的早产。

简介 环境空气污染是不利生育结果的已知风险因素，但超细颗粒 (UFP) 的作用尚不清楚。源自飞机的 UFP 对机场下风向的大型住宅区的空气质量产生不利影响，但其生殖健康负担仍未得到调查。目标 本分析评估了喷气式飞机排放的 UFP 是否与居住在洛杉矶国际机场 (LAX) 下风向的孕妇的早产 (PTB) 率增加有关。方法这项基于人群的研究使用加利福尼亚公共卫生部提供的出生记录来确定出生结果，并使用一种新颖的、经过验证的地理空间 UFP 分散模型方法来估计子宫内暴露。2008 年至 2016 年期间居住在洛杉矶国际机场 15 公里范围内的所有母亲都包括在此分析中（N=174,186；包括 15,134 个 PTB）。结果 子宫内接触飞机来源的 UFP 与 PTB 呈正相关。每四分位距 (IQR) 增加的优势比 (OR) [每立方厘米 (cc) 9,200 个粒子] 相对 UFP 暴露为 1.04 [95% 置信区间 (CI)：1.02, 1.06]。将 UFP 暴露的第四个四分位数与第一个四分位数进行比较时，PTB 的 OR 为 1.14（95% CI：1.08、1.20），根据母亲人口统计特征、交通相关空气污染暴露和机场相关噪音进行调整。结论 我们的结果表明，飞机排放在 PTB 中起病因作用，与噪音和交通相关的空气污染暴露无关。这些发现具有公共卫生问题，因为机场下风处的 UFP 暴露很常见，并且可能会影响人口稠密的大型住宅区。https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5732。