Women who spend longer daily commuting to work face a higher risk of miscarriage, suggesting that commute length may be a modifiable environmental factor influencing pregnancy loss, researchers from the University of Warsaw have found.
“Miscarriage, or the loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week of pregnancy, is the most common pregnancy complication, and known risk factors include prolonged standing, exposure to chemicals, and shift work.
“However, no one has yet examined the issue of daily commuting, even though it is part of many women's routines and may be associated with various stresses, both physical and environmental.
“We decided to investigate whether the length and regularity of commutes, which combine stress, environmental exposure, and fatigue, also play a role.”
Together with Chen Luo and Anna Matysiak, Jarosz analysed data from the German Pairfam panel study, which included information on working women of reproductive age.
She accounted for factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), work type, and work hours, allowing the team to separate the impact of commute time from other known predictors of pregnancy loss.
The findings were published in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-08259-8).
The study found that the longer the commute time, the higher the risk of miscarriage. Women whose daily commute took less than 10 minutes had a significantly lower risk compared to those who spent 30 minutes or more commuting. The association was gradual, with longer commutes linked to a higher likelihood of miscarriage.
“When we considered only women commuting daily, this correlation became even stronger. This suggests that long-term, regular exposure to commuting-related factors, such as stress, fatigue, and air pollution, may increase the risk of miscarriage,” Jarosz said
She added that evidence collected in recent years shows that certain aspects of paid employment are important risk factors for miscarriage, including shift work and exposure to harmful chemicals.
“The results of this study suggest that long commutes to work may be just as important. The more time a woman spends commuting, the less time she has for relaxation and prenatal care, which may also be important,” she said.
Exposure to air pollution, including traffic exhaust fumes, particularly nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, has a proven negative impact on pregnancy outcomes. “Time spent in traffic is associated with inhaling more pollutants. If this occurs daily, over a longer period, it can be significant,” Jarosz said.
According to Jarosz, the results are consistent with observations made during the pandemic, when working from home appeared to have a beneficial effect on fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
She said: “During the pandemic, a slightly higher fertility rate was observed, and research showed that women working from home were more likely to have children.
The reasons for this situation were not analysed at the time, but this prompted us to examine issues related to mobility.”
The findings have practical implications, Jarosz says, because commuting length and frequency are factors that can be modified, unlike age or body weight.
“This is something we can influence in many cases. If remote or hybrid work is possible, it is worth considering, especially for women in at-risk groups, such as older women, those with a higher BMI, or those with previous miscarriages,” she said.
She added that even in professions where working from home is not possible, employers could consider reducing commuting days or introducing flexible schedules.
“Even in professions such as hairdressing, catering, retail, it is worth considering shortening the workweek or introducing flexible schedules for pregnant women. This could be a viable form of prevention, especially for higher-risk groups,” Jarosz said.
She also noted the broader public health context. “We often hear that women should have more children, but at the same time, working from home is criticized in many circles. Meanwhile, our study shows that the option of remote work can genuinely support women's fertility and health,” she said.
The researchers plan to continue the work through a pilot clinical project, in which one group of women will be advised to limit commuting, while a control group will maintain their usual routine.
Katarzyna Czechowicz (PAP)
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