Air pollution linked to almost a million stillbirths a year

Office buildings in Beijing shrouded by pollution haze. Experts say clean air policies, such as those enacted by China, can reduce the number of stillbirths. Photograph: Andy Wong/AP

Almost a million stillbirths a year can be attributed to air pollution, according to the first global study.

The research estimated that almost half of stillbirths could be linked to exposure to pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), mostly produced from the burning of fossil fuels.