Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) is believed to be one of the most hazardous air pollution with a ubiquitous presence. Animal studies have reported the association between prenatal exposure to traffic pollutant (not exclusively including PM₂.₅) and reproductive development in male offspring. However, the effects of prenatal exposure to PM₂.₅ on reproductive health in children are still unknown. The present study was based on the Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort Study (S-MBCS). A total of 876 pregnant women and their infants were included. Infants’ anogenital distance (AGD, the distance from the anus to the genitals; AGDap [anus-penis] and AGDas [anus-scrotum] for boys, and AGDac [anus-clitoris] and AGDaf [anus-fourchette] for girls) were measured at birth. PM₂.₅ concentrations during pregnancy were estimated using satellite based modeling approach. Multiple linear regression analysis and multiple informant model were conducted to examine the associations between prenatal exposure to PM₂.₅ (pre μg/m³) and offspring’s AGDs (mm). In order to minimize the misclassification of exposure, a sensitivity analysis restricted to mothers being off work during pregnancy was performed. In multiple linear regression models, we found that prenatal exposure to PM₂.₅ during the 1ˢᵗ and 3ʳᵈ trimesters was associated with shorter AGDs. In multiple informant model, similar patterns were found, and statistically significant reductions were observed in AGDap (β=−0.278, 95%CI: -0.343∼-0.212), AGDac (β=−0.188, 95%CI: -0.247∼-0.130) and AGDaf (β= −0.163, 95%CI: -0.238∼-0.088) with PM₂.₅ exposure during the 1ˢᵗ trimester, and AGDap (β=−0.201, 95%CI: -0.247∼-0.155), AGDas (β=−0.158, 95%CI: -0.198∼-0.117), AGDac (β=−0.128, 95%CI: -0.167∼-0.089) and AGDaf (β = −0.144, 95%CI: -0.194∼-0.094) with PM₂.₅ exposure during the 3ʳᵈ trimester. The sensitivity analysis restricted to women being off work during pregnancy showed similar results. PM₂.₅ exposure during the 1ˢᵗ and 3ʳᵈ trimesters was associated with shortened AGDs in offspring at birth. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that prenatal exposure to PM₂.₅ might be associated with the reproductive development of offspring.

Outdoor air pollution may be associated with cancer risk at different sites. This study sought to investigate outdoor air pollution from waste gas emission effects on multiple cancer incidences in a retrospective population-based study in Shanghai, China. Trends in cancer incidence for males and females and trends in waste gas emissions for the total waste gas, industrial waste gas, other waste gas, SO₂, and soot were investigated between 1983 and 2010 in Shanghai, China. Regression models after adjusting for confounding variables were constructed to estimate associations between waste gas emissions and multiple cancer incidences in the whole group and stratified by sex, Engel coefficient, life expectancy, and number of doctors per 10,000 populations to further explore whether changes of waste gas emissions were associated with multiple cancer incidences. More than 550,000 new cancer patients were enrolled and reviewed. Upward trends in multiple cancer incidences for males and females and in waste gas emissions were observed from 1983 to 2010 in Shanghai, China. Waste gas emissions came mainly from industrial waste gas. Waste gas emissions was significantly positively associated with cancer incidence of salivary gland, small intestine, colorectal, anus, gallbladder, thoracic organs, connective and soft tissue, prostate, kidney, bladder, thyroid, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lymphatic leukemia, myeloid leukemia, and other unspecified sites (all p < 0.05). Negative association between waste gas emissions and the esophagus cancer incidence was observed (p < 0.05). The results of the whole group were basically consistent with the results of the stratified analysis. The results from this retrospective population-based study suggest ambient air pollution from waste gas emissions was associated with multiple cancer incidences.