A new study announced at the American Thoracic Society convention in San Francisco found that maternal exposure to air pollution during fetal life is harmful to children’s lung function and can aggravate asthma, according to a recent report on the HealthDay website. The study, completed at the University of California, Berkeley, evaluated the condition of 162 children with asthma and used NEPA data to measure the exposure of the children’s mothers to air pollution during pregnancy. The results found that higher maternal exposure to air pollution particles and nitric oxide during the first to sixth months of pregnancy was strongly associated with poorer lung function development in children with asthma. Study leader Dr. Ami Padula said the new study further shows that exposure to polluted air during pregnancy can have long-term effects on lung function in children with asthma. Scientists suggest that pregnant mothers should try to avoid polluted air, especially from traffic exhaust.