biostudies-literatureHu CYNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Center for Advancing Translational SciencesInstituto Nacional de PerinatologíaNCATS NIH HHSNIEHS NIH HHSMinistry of Health MexicoIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai179-193https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12809656biostudies-literatureUnknown169(1)<h4>Background</h4>Air pollution and extreme temperature exposure during pregnancy is associated with lung function in schoolchildren.<h4>Research question</h4>What are the critical time windows during pregnancy when exposure to air pollution (fine particulate matter [PM_2.5] and nitrogen dioxide [NO₂]) and temperature affects lung function in schoolchildren, and do these exposures interact?<h4>Study design and methods</h4>Within the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment, and Social Stressors study, daily residential levels of pollutant/temperature exposures during pregnancy were generated from satellite-based models. Lung function was evaluated at ages 8 to 14 years and was modeled as z scores adjusted for age, height, and sex. We used distributed lag nonlinear models to evaluate overall and sex-specific associations of exposures with lung function outcomes. Interactive effects were evaluated through the relative excess risk due to interaction and the attributable proportion.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 429 mother-child dyads were included. Prenatal higher PM_2.5 exposure was associated with reduced lung function parameters, including FEV₁z score (weeks 1-21, cumulative change: -0.23 [95% CI, -0.39 to -0.07]), FVC z score (weeks 13-19, cumulative change: -0.04 [95% CI, -0.08 to -0.00]), forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% of vital capacity (FEF_25-75%) z score (weeks 1-20, cumulative change: -0.20 [95% CI, -0.36 to -0.04]), and FEV₁/FVC ratio (weeks 6-16, cumulative change: -0.57 [95% CI, -0.11 to -0.04]). Similarly, increased NO₂ exposure was associated with reduced FEV₁z score (weeks 1-16, cumulative change: -0.16 [95% CI, -0.31 to -0.02]), FEF_25-75%z score (weeks 13-16, -0.02 [95% CI, -0.04 to -0.00]), and FEV₁/FVC ratio (weeks 6-15, -0.48 [95% CI, -0.96 to -0.01]). In contrast, both warmer (weeks 1-8) and colder temperatures (weeks 9-18) showed positive associations with FVC z score. Stronger associations were found in female participants. No interactive effects of air pollution and temperature were found.<h4>Interpretation</h4>Our findings emphasize detrimental effects of early-life air pollution exposure on long-term respiratory health and suggest potential sex-specific vulnerabilities, informing targeted interventions to protect child health.ChestIdentifying Critical Windows and Joint Effects of Prenatal Air Pollution and Temperature Exposure and Lung Function in Schoolchildren: Findings From a Prospective Birth Cohort Study.PMC12809656R01ES033245K99 ES035894U24ES028522P30ES023515K99ES035894UL1 TR004419R00ES027496R00 ES027496R01ES014930R01 ES013744R01ES013744U24 ES028522R01 ES014930R01ES021357R01 ES033245P30 ES023515R01 ES021357UL1TR004419Kloog IHu CYJust ACTamayo-Ortiz MMercado-Garcia AYitshak-Sade MEstrada-Gutierrez GWright RJHe MZTellez-Rojo MMRosa MJGutierrez-Avila ILamadrid-Figueroa HRivera-Rivera NYAlcala CSWright ROfalseIdentifying Critical Windows and Joint Effects of Prenatal Air Pollution and Temperature Exposure and Lung Function in Schoolchildren: Findings From a Prospective Birth Cohort Study.<h4>Background</h4>Air pollution and extreme temperature exposure during pregnancy is associated with lung function in schoolchildren.<h4>Research question</h4>What are the critical time windows during pregnancy when exposure to air pollution (fine particulate matter [PM_2.5] and nitrogen dioxide [NO₂]) and temperature affects lung function in schoolchildren, and do these exposures interact?<h4>Study design and methods</h4>Within the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment, and Social Stressors study, daily residential levels of pollutant/temperature exposures during pregnancy were generated from satellite-based models. Lung function was evaluated at ages 8 to 14 years and was modeled as z scores adjusted for age, height, and sex. We used distributed lag nonlinear models to evaluate overall and sex-specific associations of exposures with lung function outcomes. Interactive effects were evaluated through the relative excess risk due to interaction and the attributable proportion.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 429 mother-child dyads were included. Prenatal higher PM_2.5 exposure was associated with reduced lung function parameters, including FEV₁z score (weeks 1-21, cumulative change: -0.23 [95% CI, -0.39 to -0.07]), FVC z score (weeks 13-19, cumulative change: -0.04 [95% CI, -0.08 to -0.00]), forced expiratory flow at 25% to 75% of vital capacity (FEF_25-75%) z score (weeks 1-20, cumulative change: -0.20 [95% CI, -0.36 to -0.04]), and FEV₁/FVC ratio (weeks 6-16, cumulative change: -0.57 [95% CI, -0.11 to -0.04]). Similarly, increased NO₂ exposure was associated with reduced FEV₁z score (weeks 1-16, cumulative change: -0.16 [95% CI, -0.31 to -0.02]), FEF_25-75%z score (weeks 13-16, -0.02 [95% CI, -0.04 to -0.00]), and FEV₁/FVC ratio (weeks 6-15, -0.48 [95% CI, -0.96 to -0.01]). In contrast, both warmer (weeks 1-8) and colder temperatures (weeks 9-18) showed positive associations with FVC z score. Stronger associations were found in female participants. No interactive effects of air pollution and temperature were found.<h4>Interpretation</h4>Our findings emphasize detrimental effects of early-life air pollution exposure on long-term respiratory health and suggest potential sex-specific vulnerabilities, informing targeted interventions to protect child health.2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-06-06T16:01:20.733Z2026-06-02T03:09:38.177ZS-EPMC128096564093993610.1016/j.chest.2025.08.022