A new study published in the fall 2016 issue of the Journal of Human Resources has found that the dust emanating from the collapse of the World Trade Center probably contributed to negative birth outcomes for women in Lower Manhattan, reported Erika Beras in National Geographic.
The study isolated lower Manhattan birth records from the 1.2 million NYC births from 1994 to 2004, then searched those records for women who had already had children, to compare the birth weights.
It was discovered that those women who were in their first trimester during the terrorist attacks had more than double the probability of premature delivery. They also discovered increase in the number of babies with low birth weights to women exposed to the dust of the Trade Center.
Researchers were able to eliminate PTSD as a factor in the low birth weights and prematurity, by a comparison of mothers city-wide.
