Extreme climate events including heat waves, flooding and drought can be dangerous for anyone, but pregnant women and their babies are particularly vulnerable, according to a new report. Researchers warn that the threats climate change poses to women and babies could reverse the progress made on maternal health in the last few decades. The report, the latest in the “10 New Insights in Climate Science” series compiled annually, was published Oct. 28 ahead of the United Nations climate change conference COP29. More than 80 researchers from 45 countries collaborated on the report in association in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The 2024 report finds that climate change is having both direct and indirect effects on pregnant women, fetuses and newborn babies. Extreme heat is associated with stillbirth, preterm delivery and preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy condition characterized by high blood pressure. Extreme heat is also associated with higher risk of complications for babies in the womb. The report highlights a study from India that found the risk of miscarriage for women working in extreme heat conditions is roughly twice that of pregnant women who do not work in extreme heat. As global temperatures continue to rise amid climate change, many women in tropical countries exposed to occupational heat stress will face a similar threat, the report says. Extreme heat is also associated with safety risks for women themselves. A study of three countries in South Asia found that a 1° Celsius (1.8° Fahrenheit) increase in annual mean temperature…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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