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Climate change impact on maternal and neonatal health

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-14 11:06 UTC → 2026-10-24 12:42 UTC · added removed

At a Pre-COP31 ministerial meeting in Fiji, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell warned that extreme heat is creating a “potentially fatal faultline” in the global climate crisis, specifically impacting pregnancy and childbirth. Stiell advocated for the mandatory inclusion of maternal and newborn health in national climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Data from a Wellcome Trust survey of 1,000 maternal health professionals across Australia, Brazil, India, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe supports these warnings. Approximately 73% of respondents reported an increase in heat-linked pregnancy complications over the last five years, and 81% expressed serious concern regarding the impact of extreme heat on maternal, fetal, and newborn health. Notably, 98% of surveyed professionals reported having cared for a pregnant woman, and 99% had cared for a baby whose health was compromised by extreme heat. Scientific findings indicate that every 1°C rise in temperature correlates with a 5% increase in premature births and a 7% increase in gestational diabetes. Other identified risks include stillbirths, low birth weights, dehydration, pre-eclampsia, and heat-induced hypertension. These risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, such as those Research cited by the WHO further associates extreme heat exposure with a 26% increase in precarious housing or outdoor workers. Beyond physical complications, experts have noted that the climate crisis is linked odds of preterm birth. Additionally, infants under one year of age experienced 389% more heatwave days in 2024 compared to mental health challenges. Extreme heat and the inability 1986–2005 baseline. In response, the WHO, WMO, UNICEF, and UNFPA have launched a global framework to adapt monitor these impacts. The initiative uses 19 priority indicators to environmental changes can increase anxiety and insecurity, particularly among vulnerable populations. Additionally, reports from Plan International suggest climate disasters may increase track risks of child marriage such as preterm births and teenage pregnancy by disrupting health pregnancy-related hypertension, aiming to strengthen early-warning systems and education services. healthcare preparedness.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-24 12:42 UTC Climate change impact on maternal and neonatal health
  2. 2026-10-14 11:06 UTC Climate change impact on maternal and neonatal health
  3. 2026-10-11 19:04 UTC Climate change impact on maternal and neonatal health

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