Parental Preconception Exposures to Outdoor Neighbourhood Environments and Adverse Birth Outcomes: A Protocol for a Scoping Review and Evidence Map

Abstract

Parental preconception exposures to built and natural outdoor environments could influence pregnancy and birth outcomes either directly, or via a range of health-related behaviours and conditions. However, there is no existing review summarising the evidence linking natural and built characteristics, such as air and noise pollution, walkability, greenness with pregnancy and birth outcomes. Therefore, the planned scoping review aims to collate and map the published literature on parental preconception exposures to built and natural outdoor environments and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. We will search electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus) to identify studies for inclusion. Studies will be included if they empirically assess the relationship between maternal and paternal preconception exposures to physical natural and built environment features that occur outdoors in the residential neighbourhood and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts, and then the full text. Data extraction and assessment of study quality will be performed by one researcher and checked by a second researcher. Results will be summarised in a narrative synthesis, with additional summaries presented as tables and figures. The scoping review will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed publication, at academic conferences, and published on a website.