What Expecting Mothers Should Know About Indoor Air Quality

an expecting mother

Expecting mothers take great care to ensure that they create a positive and healthy environment for themselves and, in turn, their future child. Most people know that the health of the mother during pregnancy can have a profound effect on the health of the baby, and this is true even for something as seemingly trivial as indoor air quality. Below, we’re taking a look at what indoor air pollution is and how impactful it can be on your future child’s health.

What is Indoor Air Pollution?

Indoor air pollution is any contaminant that gets suspended in the air inside your home. These contaminants can easily be breathed in by you and your family, and some of them can have adverse effects on your health.

What Does it Include?

Common sources of indoor air pollution include dust, remnants from aerosol cans like hairspray, secondhand smoke, and common indoor emissions from your boiler or other equipment. These contaminants can remain in your home and become more dangerous if your HVAC system isn’t properly ventilating your air.

Additionally, your HVAC system plays a large part in outdoor contaminants making their way into your home. Vehicle emissions, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, and emissions from other homes or businesses can be introduced into your home if your HVAC system isn’t sealed or functioning properly.

How is it Measured?

Air pollution – indoor and outdoor – is measured along a scale called the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI ranges from 0-500, with 0 being perfectly healthy and 500 being extremely dangerous. Any measurement over 150 is considered a cause for concern even for individuals who are generally healthy.

Complications from Poor Indoor Air Quality

Scientific studies have shown that indoor air quality can have adverse effects on mothers and consequently on prenatal babies. These complications include low birth weight, premature birth, autism, development of asthma, and, in some extreme cases, miscarriage.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality can be marginally improved using air purifiers, but these prove majorly ineffective if your HVAC system isn’t ventilating properly or is malfunctioning. The best way to improve your home’s air quality is to have your HVAC system cleaned, tested, and serviced to ensure your equipment is in proper working order and is supplying you and your family with clean, healthy air.

If you’re at all concerned about the quality of your air and the impact it has on the health of your growing family, contact one of our highly trained professionals to have your air tested and your equipment serviced to ensure your home is as safe as possible.