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Cited by 262Energy and Environment ImpactsAir Quality and Health ImpactsGlobal Maternal and Child Health

Household Air Pollution from Solid Fuel Use and Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Evidence

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Amegah, Adeladza K., Quansah, Reginald, Jaakkola, Jouni J. K.·2014·PLoS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0113920PMC PMC4252082
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: About 41% of households globally, mainly in developing countries rely on solid fuels for cooking with consequences for fetal growth and development. Previous reviews were limited in scope, assessing only two outcomes (birth weight, stillbirth). With important evidence accumulating, there is a need to improve the previous estimates and assess additional outcomes. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the quality and strength of available evidence on household air pollution (HAP) and the whole range of adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: PubMed, Ovid Medline, Scopus and CINAHL were searched from their inception to the end of April 2013. All epidemiological study designs were eligible for inclusion in the review. The random-effects model was applied in computing the summary-effect estimates (EE) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Of 1505 studies screened, 19 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Household combustion of solid fuels resulted in an 86.43 g (95% CI: 55.49, 117.37) reduction in birth weight, and a 35% (EE = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.48) and 29% (EE = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.41) increased risk of LBW and stillbirth respectively. CONCLUSION: Combustion of solid fuels at home increases the risk of a wide range of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Access to clean household energy solutions is the surest way to combat HAP and mitigate their adverse effects.

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  • There is strong evidence linking household air pollution exposure with cardiovascular diseases, acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, cataract, low birth weight and stillbirth.

    “There is strong evidence linking household air pollution exposure with cardiovascular diseases,4,5 acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, cataract,6,7 low birth weight and stillbirth.8,9”

    From Household air pollution and the sustainable development goals (2016) · cites this paper as [9]

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Authors
Amegah, A. K., Quansah, R., & Jaakkola, J. J. K.
Affiliations
  • University of Cape Coast (GH)
  • University of Ghana (GH)
  • Oulu University Hospital (FI)
Corresponding author
Jaakkola, Jouni J. K.
ORCID
Venue
PLoS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2014-12-02
Volume
9
Issue
12
Pages
e113920
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0113920
PMC
PMC4252082
OpenAlex
W2078260427
Cited by
262
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 1
FWCI
0.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Greater South Information System
Funders
  • Université de Lausanne
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Energy and Environment Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
Keywords
household air pollution, solid fuel combustion, adverse pregnancy outcomes, low birth weight, stillbirth, birth weight, clean cooking, fetal growth, indoor air pollution
MeSH terms
Birth Weight, Female, Fossil Fuels, Humans, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Risk Factors, Air Pollution, Indoor, Publication Bias, Empirical Research, Stillbirth

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