Heatwaves put mothers and babies at risk

Heat exposure raises the risks of preterm birth, stillbirths, congenital anomalies and obstetric complications. In the largest systematic review of its kind, researchers analysed 198 studies across 66, mostly high-income, countries. For every 1 ℃ increase in heat exposure, there was a 4% increase in the risk of a child being born prematurely — which is one of the leading causes of infant death or long-term disability. During a heatwave, the chance of preterm birth increased by 26%. “Protecting the health of pregnant women and newborns must become a priority in our response to climate change,” said physician-scientist and review co-author Darshnika Lakhoo in a statement. (Nature Briefing)

Nature Medicine, 5 November 2024

A systematic review and meta-analysis of heat exposure impacts on maternal, fetal and neonatal health

Climate Change has severe and wide-ranging health impacts, especially for vulnerable groups. Despite growing evidence of heat-associated adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes, there remains a lack of synthesis quantifying associations and identifying specific risk periods. We systematically reviewed the literature on heat impacts on maternal, fetal, and neonatal health, and quantified impacts through meta-analyses. We found 198 studies across 66 countries, predominantly high income (63.3%) and temperature climate zones (40.1%), and 23 outcomes. Results showed increased odds of preterm birth of 1.04 (95%CI = 1.03, 1.06; n = 12) per 1°C increase in heat exposure and 1.26 (95%CI = 1.08, 1.47; n = 10) during heatwaves.