Dr. Catherine Karr's research on wildfire smoke and the risk of preterm birth, which was picked up by multiple news outlets this year, is featured in the UW School of Public Health's year-end list of top stories for 2025.
The study analyzed data from more than 20,000 births, finding that pregnant people who are exposed to wildfire smoke are more likely to give birth prematurely than those who are not. Wildfire smoke is one of the fastest-growing sources of pollution in the United States, but previous studies have not been large enough to make any definitive conclusions about its impact on preterm births.
While more work is needed to understand the mechanism of action, this study provides strong enough evidence to begin to take action, getting the message out via public health agencies and clinicians so that people can make informed choices about how best to protect themselves during smoke events.
View the full list of stories at the UW School of Public Health website.