CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Could Your Neighborhood Affect Baby’s Health?​

save article
profile picture of Anisa Arsenault
By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editor
Updated September 18, 2016
Hero Image
Image: Getty

If the grass is really greener on the other side, then that’s the side moms-to-be should want to be on.

According to a new study from Oregon State University, mothers who live in neighborhoods with plenty of green vegetation (like trees and grass) are more likely to deliver at full term than mothers in less green urban areas. Their babies also tend to be born at higher weights.

Lead study author Perry Hystad says this comes as a surprise. “We expected the association between greenness and birth outcomes to disappear once we accounted for other environmental exposures such as air pollution and noise. The research really suggests that greenness affects birth outcomes in other ways, such as psychologically or socially.”

So even green spaces with lackluster air quality proved beneficial to birth outcomes. Maybe it’s because green spaces lessen depression, boosting maternal health. Basically, researchers don’t know what the deal is. But the numbers speak for themselves: out of the 64,000 births followed, extreme preterm births were 20 percent lower for babies whose mothers lived in greener areas. And fewer infants from these areas were considered small for their gestational age.

Why is this so important? Over 50 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas. and Hystad says planting a tree or adding a patio isn’t going to solve the problem. “You don’t really see the beneficial effects of green space until you reach a certain threshold of greenness in a neighborhood," he says.

What that threshold is, however, is unclear. But according to researcher Michael Brauer, better incorporating green space into urban design could be an "extremely cost-effective strategies to prevent disease, while at the same time also providing ecological benefits.”

More parks, please!

How green is your neighborhood?

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

mother putting baby into bare crib for safe sleep
New Report Reveals Nursery Items as Significant Threat to Safe Sleep
By Wyndi Kappes
US actor Josh Duhamel (L) and his wife US model Audra Mari pose during a photocall for the Golden Nymph Awards ceremony of the 62nd Monte-Carlo Television Festival in the principalty of Monaco on June 20, 2023
Josh Duhamel’s Son Axl Has Adorable Reaction to New Big Brother Role
By Wyndi Kappes
jordan and annie spieth with their son
Pro Golfer Jordan Spieth and Annie Spieth Welcome Baby No. 2
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
wrapped kraft singles american cheese recall
Why Over 83,000 Cases of Kraft Singles Have Been Recalled
By Wyndi Kappes
ms rachel stands up to body shamer
Ms. Rachel Stands Up to Body Shamers in New Video
By Wyndi Kappes
bodily pregnancy kits
Bodily Launches Pregnancy Kits Packed With Advice and Essentials
By Wyndi Kappes
Chanel Iman and Davon Godchaux pregnancy photoshoot
Chanel Iman and Patriots' Davon Godchaux’s Baby Girl Has Arrived
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mariah Riddlesprigger welcome third baby 2023
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mariah Riddlesprigger Welcome Third Baby
By Wyndi Kappes
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrive for the world premiere of Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on October 26, 2022
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky Share First Photo as Family of Four
By Wyndi Kappes
Khloé Kardashian, Penelope Disick, Kim Kardashian, North West and Kris Jenner attend the "RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR" at SoFi Stadium on September 04, 2023 in Inglewood, California.
These Are 2023’s Most Influential Celebrity Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
happy family walking in city
These Top 15 Family-Friendly Cities Offer Amazing Outdoor Spaces
By Wyndi Kappes
chuckle and roar water bead activity kits recall 2023
Popular Water Bead Activity Kit Sold at Target Has Been Recalled
By Wyndi Kappes
elyse and jonas myers welcome their second baby
Comedian Elyse Myers and Jonas Myers Welcome Baby No. 2
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mother and baby crawling on floor at home
It’s Baby Safety Month: Here Are All the Sales You Don’t Wanna Miss
By Wyndi Kappes
dad strapping baby into rocker
CPSC Members Propose New Safety Rules for Baby Rockers After Deaths
By Wyndi Kappes
Taylor Neisen and Liev Schreiber attend Rufus Wainwright 50th Birthday Celebration at The Montauk Point Lighthouse on July 13, 2023 in Montauk, New York.
Liev Schreiber and Taylor Neisen Welcome Baby Girl
By Wyndi Kappes
young woman asleep in bed at night
Viral Video Explains Why Protected Sleep Is Important for New Moms
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
close up of button batteries
CPSC Enacts New Safety Standards to Protect Kids From Button Batteries
By Wyndi Kappes
Elon Musk and Grimes attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City
Elon Musk and Grimes Confirm They Welcomed a Third Baby in Secret
By Wyndi Kappes
hanna andersson bluey collection
Hanna Andersson Collabs With Bluey on Sensory-Friendly Kid’s Clothing
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List