U.S. preterm births tied to air pollution cost $4 billion a year
Read the full article on http://in.reuters.com
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
“U.S. premature births linked to air pollution cost more than $4 billion a year in medical care and lost economic opportunity, a new analysis estimates.
Almost 16,000 babies arrive early each year due at least in part to air pollution, according to researchers who analyzed air quality data and birth records.
Annual costs associated with these preemies include nearly $3.6 billion (about 3.2 billion euros) in lost wages and productivity due to physical and mental deficits tied to the early arrivals as well as $760 million (about 678 million euros) for extended hospitalizations and long-term use of medications, researchers calculated.”
