Educational attainment and self-reported environmental exposures of pregnant women living in Nairobi, Kenya

Bibliographic Data

ID19592365
AuthorsChristopher Zuidema (0000-0002-2233-2706, University of Vermont, corresponding author), Priscillah Wanini Edemba (0000-0002-1084-6902, Kenyatta National Hospital, corresponding author), Anne M Riederer (0000-0001-9905-5412, University of Washington, corresponding author), Vincent K Kipter (0000-0002-5497-1334, University of Nairobi, corresponding author), Allison R Sherris (0000-0002-7858-2608, University of Washington, corresponding author), Lewis Olweywe (Kenyatta National Hospital, corresponding author), Judith Adhiambo (University of Nairobi, corresponding author), Brendah Isavwa (University of Nairobi, corresponding author), Erica Wetzler (0000-0002-3076-5034, University of Washington, corresponding author), Erica A Wetzler, Barbra A Richardson (0000-0001-9564-1828, University of Washington, corresponding author), John Kinuthia (0000-0001-6571-8927, Kenyatta National Hospital, corresponding author), Michael Gatari (0000-0001-9193-6901, University of Nairobi, corresponding author), Michael J Gatari, Elizabeth Maleche‐Obimbo (0000-0001-7871-3367, Kenyatta National Hospital, corresponding author), Edmund Seto (0000-0003-4058-0313, University of Washington, corresponding author), Catherine J Karr (0000-0002-4683-2270, University of Washington, corresponding author), Sarah Benki-Nugent (0000-0002-3564-6245, University of Washington, corresponding author), Faridah Hussein Were (0000-0002-4574-5108, University of Nairobi, corresponding author)
EditorsBhargav Krishna (0000-0002-5316-4442)
Year2025
Volume5
Issue11
Pagese0005453
Publication date2025-11-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1371/journal.pgph.0005453
PMID41252433
OpenAlexW4416324135
LanguageEN
References cited53

Environmental exposures experienced by pregnant women living in cities of low- and middle-income countries are poorly described. We collected information on housing characteristics, household and ambient air pollution, and work-related exposures through questionnaires in a cohort of 400 pregnant women in Nairobi, Kenya and examined exposures in relation to educational attainment, a proxy for socioeconomic status. Participants were median 26 years of age, mostly married (85%) and self-described homemakers (54%), with at least some secondary school education (74%). Housing generally consisted of one room (58%) with one window (57%), access to electricity (94%), and no piped water (88%). Participants commonly reported living near sewers (55%) and the Dandora dumpsite (34%). Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) was the primary domestic cooking fuel, followed by kerosene, with 65% and 32%, respectively, reporting use most days to daily. Most participants reported exposure to outdoor cooking smoke (73%) and vehicle exhaust (66%) most days to daily. Employed participants (N = 151) reported work-related exposure to vehicle exhaust (68%), cigarettes (37%), marijuana (33%), dusty/unpaved roads (32%), welding (30%), and the dumpsite (30%) most days to daily. Exposure to rubbish burning was reported by 4.5% of participants at home, by 24% outdoors, and by 25% related to work most days to daily. Relative to women with primary school education or lower, women with at least secondary school education were more likely to use LPG (p

Cohort · Cohort study · Educational attainment · Secondary education · Socioeconomic status · Stove · Toilet · Air Quality and Health Impacts · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Energy and Environment Impacts