Luftföroreningar inomhus och utomhus- effekter av exponering för gravida kvinnor i Afrika

In 2012, one in eight deaths worldwide resulted fromair pollution. For Africa lack of data is a barrier to estimate effects.
Satellite images indicate detrimental levels, but monitoring and high resolution outdoorair pollution modelling is lacking.
Household air pollution is also a majorsource ofexposure, more knowledge on howdifferent cook stoves, fuels and habits
affect exposure is crucial. No high quality study of the effect of outdoorand indoorair pollution on pregnant women in
Africa has so far been conducted.
We will investigate consequences ofair pollution in a prospective cohort of women recruited during pregnancy at public
health facilities in Ethiopia. Outdoorair pollution will be assessed by high quality modelling which combines
measurements with Geographical Information Systemtools and aerialand topographical imaging. Individualexposure will
be linked to the model by residentialaddress. Indoorexposure will be assessed by questionnaires and validated by
measurements. Emission factors fromdifferent fuels and cooking methods,and particle characteristics will be assessed in
our Aerosol Lab in Lund. Data on pregnancy outcomes,exposures and confounders will be compiled and epidemiological
studies on the effect of outdoorand household air pollution on pregnancy complications will be done.
This study, which will increase knowledge of not only health impact but also ofsource characteristics, will provide
important knowledge forappropriate policy making.