Which regions face the highest risk of infant mortality due to air pollution?

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India and Sub-Saharan Africa Face the Highest Risk of Infant Mortality Due to Air Pollution

In 2019, air pollution was a significant factor in the deaths of 476,000 newborns globally. The most severely affected regions were India and Sub-Saharan Africa, where a substantial proportion of these infant fatalities occurred. The primary contributor to these deaths was identified as noxious fumes from household cooking fuels.
India's High Infant Mortality from Air Pollution

India recorded over 116,000 infant deaths within the first month of life that were attributable to air pollution in 2019. This figure highlights the critical impact of air quality on neonatal health within the country. The estimates for these deaths were compiled by the US-based Health Effects Institute and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's Global Burden of Disease project.
Sub-Saharan Africa's Burden of Infant Deaths

Sub-Saharan Africa experienced an even greater number of infant deaths linked to air pollution, with 236,000 newborns succumbing in their first month of life in 2019. This region faces a particularly acute challenge, with air pollution posing a severe threat to neonatal survival.
Link Between Air Pollution, Birth Weight, and Preterm Birth

Research indicates a strong correlation between maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and an increased risk of infants being born with low birth weight or prematurely. These conditions, low birth weight and preterm birth, are themselves associated with serious health complications and are already the leading causes of neonatal deaths in the most affected areas.
Air Pollution as a Major Global Cause of Death

The broader impact of air pollution is substantial, having caused an estimated 6.7 million deaths worldwide in 2019. This number positioned air pollution as the fourth leading cause of death globally, underscoring its pervasive threat to public health across all age groups.

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Which regions face the highest risk of infant mortality due to air pollution?

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