'Equal to 25-30 cigarettes': Medanta doctor warns parents-to-be amid 'severe' Delhi AQI
Dr Arvind Kumar’s warning comes after Delhi on Saturday had an overall air quality index (AQI) of 413, triggering several health problems among Delhiites.
- Nov 4, 2023,
- Updated Nov 4, 2023 5:50 PM IST
A doctor at Medanta Hospital in Delhi has alerted expecting parents about the dangers of air pollution in the capital, saying that exposure to severe air quality can be equivalent to smoking 25-30 cigarettes a day for pregnant women.
This comes after Delhi on Saturday had an overall air quality index (AQI) of 413, triggering several health problems among Delhiites.
“From an unborn child to elderly…All age groups are adversely affected by air pollution. You might wonder how an unborn child is affected because that child is not breathing…how the air toxins are reaching the child. When the child's mother is breathing, the toxins go to her lungs; through the lungs, they go into the blood; and through the placenta, they reach the child, or the fetus, and cause damage…It can cause premature deliveries and further issues as well,” senior lung specialist from Medanta Hospital Dr Arvind Kumar said while speaking to news agency ANI.
“When the child is born, they start breathing the same air…Imagine a newborn smoking 25-30 cigarettes on the first day of his or her life. You can imagine what hell will let loose on various organs of their body. They have all sorts of breathing problems,” he added.
The national capital, Delhi, has been experiencing extreme air pollution for the past several days, with visibility severely reduced due to deteriorating air quality and dense fog. Residents are struggling as a suffocating smog continues to grip the city. On Saturday, alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) levels were recorded across different areas.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported AQI as high as 453 at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range and Shadipur, 448 at Anand Vihar, and 442 at Wazirpur. Punjab Bagh, Bawana, Okhla and R K Puram recorded AQIs of 435, 434, 432, and 431 respectively. Other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) have also been categorized as severe. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 337, Greater Noida 490, Faridabad 449, and Gurugram 392.
An AQI of zero to 50 is regarded as good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 severe.
Also Read: Mumbai Police arrest 19-year-old man from Telangana over death threats to Mukesh Ambani
A doctor at Medanta Hospital in Delhi has alerted expecting parents about the dangers of air pollution in the capital, saying that exposure to severe air quality can be equivalent to smoking 25-30 cigarettes a day for pregnant women.
This comes after Delhi on Saturday had an overall air quality index (AQI) of 413, triggering several health problems among Delhiites.
“From an unborn child to elderly…All age groups are adversely affected by air pollution. You might wonder how an unborn child is affected because that child is not breathing…how the air toxins are reaching the child. When the child's mother is breathing, the toxins go to her lungs; through the lungs, they go into the blood; and through the placenta, they reach the child, or the fetus, and cause damage…It can cause premature deliveries and further issues as well,” senior lung specialist from Medanta Hospital Dr Arvind Kumar said while speaking to news agency ANI.
“When the child is born, they start breathing the same air…Imagine a newborn smoking 25-30 cigarettes on the first day of his or her life. You can imagine what hell will let loose on various organs of their body. They have all sorts of breathing problems,” he added.
The national capital, Delhi, has been experiencing extreme air pollution for the past several days, with visibility severely reduced due to deteriorating air quality and dense fog. Residents are struggling as a suffocating smog continues to grip the city. On Saturday, alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) levels were recorded across different areas.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported AQI as high as 453 at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range and Shadipur, 448 at Anand Vihar, and 442 at Wazirpur. Punjab Bagh, Bawana, Okhla and R K Puram recorded AQIs of 435, 434, 432, and 431 respectively. Other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) have also been categorized as severe. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 337, Greater Noida 490, Faridabad 449, and Gurugram 392.
An AQI of zero to 50 is regarded as good, 51 to 100 satisfactory, 101 to 200 moderate, 201 to 300 poor, 301 to 400 very poor, and 401 to 500 severe.
Also Read: Mumbai Police arrest 19-year-old man from Telangana over death threats to Mukesh Ambani