Climate change fuels rise in extreme heat risk for pregnant women: report
A new analysis directly quantified how climate change is increasing dangerously hot days for pregnant women. India experienced an average of six additional pregnancy heat-risk days each year during the past five years according to the analysis. Climate change accounted for nearly one-third of the average annual number of pregnancy heat-risk days during 2020 to 2024 (adding 6 of the 19 days).
Sikkim with 32 days has reported the highest pregnancy heat-risk days added by climate change. Goa and Kerala have recorded 24 and 18 additional days respectively on account of climate change. Mumbai reported 26 days of pregnancy heat-risk days added by climate change during 2020-2024. Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune also recorded seven additional pregnancy heat-risk days added by climate change in the last five years, according to the analysis by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators who research and report the facts about the changing climate and how it affects people’s lives.
Researchers analysed daily temperatures from 2020 to 2024 across 247 countries and territories and 940 cities to measure the rise in “pregnancy heat-risk days”, or days when maximum temperatures exceed 95 per cent of historic local temperatures, a threshold associated with increased risks of preterm birth.
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Preterm birth can have lasting health effects on the baby and increase the risk of maternal health problems after birth. Researchers said climate change poses a severe threat to maternal health and birth outcomes, doubling the number of days that are dangerously hot for pregnant people in 90% of countries around the world. Extreme heat, driven by climate change, is posing an escalating threat to maternal health and birth outcomes around the world,
In most countries and territories (222 out of 247), climate change at least doubled the annual number of pregnancy heat-risk days during the last five years, across all continents, compared to a world without climate change, according to the latest report.
Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK) observed that the report emphasises the serious and growing threat that climate change poses to women’s health and lives, particularly for those already at risk of poorer health outcomes in developing countries. “This includes during pregnancy, as air pollution and exposure to longer, more intense high temperatures can increase risks such as preterm birth and low birth weight.” Dr Thakar said.