Environmental Research
Abstract
Environmental Research
Volume 263 , Part 3 , 15 December 2024 , 120272
Review article
Exposure to radon and ambient particle radioactivity during pregnancy and adverse maternal , fetal and perinatal outcomes : The current literaturee and potential mechanisms
panelMeghan Angley a b , Yijia Zhang a b , Petros Koutrakis c , Ka Kahe a b https :// doi . org / 10.1016
/ j . envres . 2024.120272
Abstract
Radon is a colorless , odorlesss radioactive gas that is naturally occurring in the environment , originating from the decay of uranium that exists in the earth ' s crust . In addition to lung cancer , radon exposure has recently been associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease . However , little consideration has been given to radon exposure during pregnancy , even thoughh pregnant people are a more vulnerable population and ionizing radiation is a known risk factor for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes . There is also greater recognition of the potential effect of ambient particle radioactivity . The radioactivity of ambient particles is primarily due to the decay of radon progeny , and thus another source of exposure to radiation due to radon decay . We systematically searched and evaluated the literaturee and summarized the current evidencee on radon and particle radioactivity exposure during pregnancy . While the literaturee is sparse , we identified eight human studies that address this topic . The accumulated evidence suggests that radon and particle radioactivity may be associated with a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes , including gestational diabetes and hypertension and fetal development . Additionally , we highlight several potential biological pathways by which radon may affect maternal and fetal health . The ubiquity of radon and ambient particle radioactivity exposure , biological plausibility and results of early studies all suggest radon exposuree during pregnancy is an important topic thatt merits further investigation .