Household air pollution exposure and prevalence of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes among mothers in Ghana: Evidence from the 2022 Demographic Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between household air pollution (HAP) exposure and adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes among mothers in Ghana using evidence from the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey.

METHODS

A retrospective secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). The study included women aged 15-49 years with a recent pregnancy outcome. HAP exposure was proxied using unclean cooking fuel. Outcomes assessed were maternal anemia (hemoglobin <11.0 g/dL), low birth weight (LBW) (<2500 g), preterm birth (<37 weeks), and stillbirth. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to estimate associations between HAP exposure and outcomes. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Unclean cooking fuel use was highly prevalent (88.2%), especially in rural households (95.7%) and among the poorest households (99.8%). After adjustment, unclean fuel use was associated with higher odds of LBW (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.47; 95% CI 1.10-1.96; P < 0.008). Anemia, cesarean section and prolonged length of hospital stay after delivery were associated with HAP.

CONCLUSION

HAP remains a significant risk factor for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in Ghana, underscoring the need to accelerate adoption of clean cooking technologies.