Air Quality and Pregnancy
We live in a different world these days. The air is not as clean as it used to be. There is industry, wild fires and exhaust fumes and the list goes on and on. The outcome has been a halo effect that covers the globe so everyone is affected. Even though some places are better than others, it still affects everyone. One doctor was quoted as saying that it is equivilant to everyone being active smokers. It affects pregnancy and is more of an issue than it was in the years past.
Air pollution falls under two categories. 1) PM (particulate matter) such as dust, smoke, pollen etc. These are visible particles that float in the air and are measured by size. These most commonly affect the sinuses and respiratory system causing problems like allergies and asthma. 2) VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) are like methane, butane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, radon, hydrogen sulfide etc. These are gases, or fumes, and they are not seen or smelled necessarily but they affect the body at a deeper level such as the blood. VOCs are more prone to be the culprit to cause a miscarriage because many of them shut down oxygen availability to the placenta and then baby. Both PM and VOC can make you feel like you are not getting enough oxygen.
If the air quality is less than 'Good' then an in-utero baby might feel weak or sluggish. Not having enough strength to kick or have normal movements and the movements become more like flutters than kicks.
So is there anything you can do? Yes, there is, You can monitor the air quality in your home and you can purify the air in your living space. There are a lot of monitors out on the market and some are more expensive than others. But one would want to make sure that it covers the different categories. If it advertises as showing TVOC this is the Total VOCs. It does not identify which individual ones are being detected bu tinstead it lumps them all together. This is still helpful as all VOCs are harmful and if the total number is up then attention needs to be paid to it. Meanwhile, a more expensive one might list them individually. In case you are interested, below is a link to a less expensive air monitor so you can get an idea of what you are looking for. But the more information it gives, the better. Go with the best one you can get while staying within your price range .
Now regarding air purifiers, whether or not you wish to monitor how much of various pollutants you are being exposed to. All air purifiers take out the particulate matter but not all take out the VOCs. So when shopping you want to look for one that takes out both but specifically mentions removing fumes and VOC. Below is a link to a less expensive purifier (yes they can run into the thousands of dollars) to help you see one of the less expensive ones to pruchase for your home, if you feel it is what would work for you. Not just during pregnancy but even after birth, your baby will be healthier if the air is clean. (Be sure to read part 2 of Air Quality and Pregnancy)