Pregnant? Surround yourself with tree canopy, Portland study shows - Portland, OR

Pregnant? Surround yourself with tree canopy, this Portland study shows - Portland parenting | Examiner.com: Yesterday Medical Research & Science writer Joe Rojas-Burke published an Oregonian article citing exciting findings from a study released late last year. Researchers found that moms living in more densely treed areas of Portland were less likely to deliver undersized babies, or SGA (Small for Gestational Age).

'Tree cover made no difference in the rate of pre-term births, but researchers found a consistent link to the prevalence of infants who were small for their gestational age,' writes Rojas-Burke. 'For each 10 percent increase in tree coverage within about 50 yards of a home, the rate of undersized newborns decreased by 1.42 per 1000 births. As it stands, about 70 of every 1,000 newborns in Portland are small for gestational age.'