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Hazardous dust produced after terror attack at World Trade Centre adversely affected babies in wombs

The Terror Attack On The World Trade Centre On September 11 In 2001 Rocked The Entire World And Its Memories Still Haunt Us. Now, Experts Have Revealed That The Hazardous Dust That Was Created Following The 9/11 Terror Attack Adversely Affected The Babies In Wombs.

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Bindiya Bhatt | Updated on: 02 Jan 2017, 06:23:06 PM
Dust pollution during 9/11 attacks made newborn babies smaller: Study

New York:

The terror attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11 in 2001 rocked the entire world and its memories still haunt us. Now, experts have revealed that the hazardous dust that was created following the 9/11 terror attack adversely affected the babies in wombs.

According to study, the dust pollution caused babies in the area to be born prematurely and with low birth weight. Experts say it may have implications for cities such as New Delhi that struggles with polluted air.

When the towers in the New York city collapsed, a cloud of hazardous materials was formed. It engulfed the surrounding neighbourhood and enveloped everthing that came into its contact for several days.

The birth records of the New York City was studied by researchers from University of Zurich in Switzerland and Princeton University in the US.

Out of the 1.2 million births, the data of women who lived in  Lower Manhattan neighbourhoods and were most exposed to the dust cloud was separated.

The women who were in their first trimester during the 9/11 attacks had more than double the probability of premature delivery, the study found.
Also, there was rise in the number of babies with low birth weights. This can lead to higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and elevated blood pressure at later stage.

When the child is in womb and the mother is exposed to air pollution, it can cause adverse health effects on the baby, which can even  play out over the course of a lifetime, 'National Geographic' reported.

"The pregnancy conditions really matter for later economic outcomes and for long-term human development and economic success," said Hannes Schwandt, a researcher from the University of Zurich.



The findings add to a host of research showing ill effects of air pollution on infants for cities around the world that grapple with polluted air, such as New Delhi, Mexico City and Beijing, the report said.

The study was published in the Journal of Human Resources.

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First Published : 02 Jan 2017, 06:14:00 PM

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