Story perspectives

Early Pregnancy NO2 Exposure Quadruples Depression Risk

6/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

Early-pregnancy nitrogen dioxide exposure made women four times more likely to follow a high-symptom depressive trajectory.
In MADRES cohort of 542 Hispanic/Latina women from Los Angeles, researchers reported trajectories—low (43%), decreasing (35%), high (7.4%)—and said high nitrogen dioxide exposure raised odds of the high-symptom group by 3.82-fold.
Depression affected 26% in the trimester, was common among Black women and those with prior depression, and was published June 2 in Environmental Health.

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Story summary

Early-pregnancy nitrogen dioxide exposure made women four times more likely to follow a high-symptom depressive trajectory.
In MADRES cohort of 542 Hispanic/Latina women from Los Angeles, researchers reported trajectories—low (43%), decreasing (35%), high (7.4%)—and said high nitrogen dioxide exposure raised odds of the high-symptom group by 3.82-fold.
Depression affected 26% in the trimester, was common among Black women and those with prior depression, and was published June 2 in Environmental Health.