As the oil and gas industry continues its rapid expansion throughout North America, a growing body of research has linked fossil fuel development to physical and mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, including preterm birth, birth defects, and psychological stress. But it appears that oil and gas production may be hazardous to this population even before they become pregnant. A new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers suggests that people who are trying to conceive and live close to oil and gas development sites have a heightened risk of developing adverse mental health outcomes.
Published in the American Journal of Public Health , the study utilized data from participants in the BUSPH-based Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) and found that people who lived within roughly six miles of active oil and gas development had greater development of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, compared to people living 12 to 31 miles away from this activity. High perceived stress was elevated among people living just 1.25 miles away from oil and gas development, and greater intensity of oil and gas production also contributed to high perceived stress.
Prenatal and postpartum health challenges have captured national attention amid rising rates of US maternal morbidity and mortality, but these new findings call attention to the vulnerabilities of people during the preconception period-;an otherwise understudied phase of the pregnancy process.
