India, July 3 -- Increased exposure to pollution during pregnancy can lead to 40 per cent chance of low weight at birth, and a staggering 70 per cent chances of premature delivery, research by experts from IIT and other top institutions in India and abroad has revealed.

India's health survey of 2019-21 reveals that 13 per cent of children were born prematurely, and 17 per cent with low birth weight, the research says.

A team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, and institutes in the UK and Ireland looked at the National Family Health Survey-5 and remote sensing data to analyse effects of air pollution in pregnancy, news agency PTI reported.

The national heal...