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Across rural America, farm animals are packed into cramped, filthy spaces known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). CAFOs are defined based on the number of animal units (AUs, a standard measurement used to compare the potential environmental impact of different kinds of livestock), duration of confinement, and conditions related to waste discharge. Even small spaces with fewer than 300 AUs can still be classified as CAFOs if they discharge pollutants into waterways. While CAFOs are cost-effective, the large amount of animal waste they produce makes disposal expensive. Eventually the waste contaminates water sources, lowers air quality, and reduces soil fertility. As a result, scientists have hypothesized that CAFOs are detrimental to public health, but there is little information about their effect on birth outcomes.
In a recent publication, Ji-Young Son and Michelle L. Bell, researchers at the Yale School of Environment, searched for a link between CAFOs and two adverse birth outcomes: preterm birth—defined as birth before thirty-seven weeks of pregnancy—and low birth weight. They analyzed geographic data of CAFOs and birth records from 2003 to 2020 from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. They considered factors such as infant sex, the mother’s race and ethnicity, and the mother’s education level. Their results indicate that the presence of CAFOs increases the risk of preterm birth and suggest that certain maternal characteristics such as the mother’s race and ethnicity may be associated with a higher risk of adverse birth outcomes.
These findings not only highlight the effects of CAFO exposure but also suggest its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. In the future, these insights could give policymakers a better picture of the impacts of CAFOs and public health planning. “[These results can] aid policymakers in establishing appropriate interventions aimed at mitigating disparities in these affected communities,” Son said.