US EditionAgricultural contaminants in drinking water linked to higher preterm birth rates: Study
- On June 25, 2025, a new study by Jason Semprini linked low nitrate levels in drinking water to increased preterm birth and low birthweight in Iowa.
- The study analyzed over 357,000 births from 1970 to 1988 alongside county-level nitrate measures, while current EPA standards set the limit at 10 mg/L since 1992.
- Semprini found that prenatal exposure above 0.1 mg/L, far below the EPA limit, increased preterm birth risk and noted rising nitrate levels in groundwater.
- He stated that, in line with other findings, prenatal nitrate exposure below the established safety limit is linked to a higher likelihood of negative birth effects, such as preterm delivery and low birth weight, accounting for about 15% of the harm associated with smoking during pregnancy.
- These findings suggest the outdated nitrate standard may fail to protect fetal health and prompt calls for revisiting regulations amid environmental rollbacks in New Zealand and the U.S.
7 Articles
7 Articles
Nitrate contamination in drinking water and adverse reproductive and birth outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Scientific Reports
Exposure to low levels of nitrate in drinking water may have adverse reproductive effects. We reviewed evidence about the association between nitrate in drinking water and adverse reproductive outcomes published to November 2022. Randomized trials, cohort or case–control studies published in English that reported the relationship between nitrate intake from drinking water and the risk of perinatal outcomes were included. Random-effect models wer…
Agricultural contaminants in drinking water linked to higher preterm birth rates: Study
Exposure to a common agricultural contaminant in drinking water, even in small doses, may be linked to increased risks of preterm birth, a new study has found. The pollutant, called nitrate, is also associated with low birth weight in infants whose mothers consumed affected water during pregnancy, according to the study, published on Wednesday in PLOS Water.…
Prenatal exposure to nitrates associated with increased risk of preterm birth
Even low levels of nitrate-a common agricultural runoff and drinking water contaminant-are associated with increased risks of preterm birth and low birthweight babies, according to a new study published June 25 in PLOS Water by Jason Semprini of Des Moines University College of Health Sciences, US.
Nitrate in drinking water linked to preterm birth rates
Even low levels of nitrate—a common agricultural runoff and drinking water contaminant—are associated with increased risks of preterm birth and low birthweight babies, according to a study published in PLOS Water by Jason Semprini of Des Moines University College of Health Sciences, US.
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