I mpact of extreme heat and heatwaves on children's health: A scoping review . Image Credit: Piyaset / Shutterstock With heatwaves on the rise, children's health is increasingly at risk. This scoping review reveals alarming links to preterm births, asthma, and emergency visits, highlighting the urgent need for adaptive measures to protect the youngest and most vulnerable.
In a recent review article published in the Journal of Climate Change and Health , researchers investigated the effects of heat waves and extreme heat events on children's health and how children can adapt to these climate-related threats. Their findings indicate that extreme exposure to heat significantly increases risks such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and exacerbated asthma in children, underscoring the urgent need for research on adaptation measures to protect children's health in a warming world. 559 million children currently exposed to high heatwave frequency, rising to all 2.
02 billion children globally by 2050. UNICEF Neonatal outcomes and birth risks The review found that extreme heat exposure during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of several unfavorable birth outcomes. Twenty-six studies showed that heat waves and high temperatures during pregnancy are linked to preterm births (PTB), stillbirths, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and low birth weight (LBW).
For instance, a systematic review found that exposure to extreme heat raised the risk of PTB by 16% and LBW by 31%. Th.