Climate Change and Pregnancy Complications Study

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance| General issues on Environmental ecology

Why in news?

A recent report from the US-based research group Climate Central reveals that climate change increases the heat exposure for pregnant women worldwide and leads to health risks.

• The report examined data from 247 countries and territories that focused on measuring increased heat exposure for pregnant women since 2020.

Key Findings of the Study

• A report reveals that climate change has significantly increased exposure to dangerous heat levels during pregnancy.
• Pregnancy heat-risk days – In 222 out of 247 countries climate change has at least doubled the average annual number of "pregnancy heat-risk days" over the past five years.
• Impact on developing countries – Developing countries with limited healthcare access showed the largest increases in heat exposure.
• Most affected regions include the Caribbean, Central and South America, Pacific islands, Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.

Implications

• Public health risk – Pregnant women are increasingly vulnerable to heat-induced complications, posing a growing maternal and fetal health crisis, especially in under-resourced regions.
• Heat-related pregnancy complications are,
  • Premature birth
  • Stillbirth
  • Birth defects
  • Gestational diabetes
• Policy urgency – Beyond tackling climate change at a global level, there is a need for local adaptation strategies, such as:
  • Urban greening
  • Pollution control
  • Creation of cooling zones
  • Public advisories specifically targeting pregnant women
• Research gaps – There is a limited understanding of the physiological mechanisms behind heat-related pregnancy risks, underscoring the need for further scientific studies.
• Health communication – Heatwave warnings and health advisories must include pregnant women as a high-risk group, which is currently rarely done.

Reference

The Hindu| Climate change increasing risk of pregnancy problems