Exposure to extreme heat may pose serious risks during pregnancy, from preterm births to hypertensive complications, highlighting an urgent public health issue amid rising global temperatures. Study: A systematic review and meta-analysis of heat exposure impacts on maternal, fetal and neonatal health . Image Credit: Shutterstock AI / Shutterstock.
com A recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine provides a detailed overview of the impact of heat exposure on maternal, fetal, and newborn health. Introduction The global rise in environmental temperature, combined with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, is becoming a major public health concern, especially for vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and newborns. Heat generated by fetal metabolism and additional fat deposits during pregnancy makes pregnant women more susceptible to heat stress.
Heat stress during pregnancy is associated with a wide range of complications, including preterm birth, stillbirth, congenital disabilities, gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and cardiovascular events during labor. The current systematic review included 198 studies from 66 countries conducted across six continents, most of which were performed in high-income countries and temperate climate zones. Maternal health outcomes About 75% of the selected studies highlighted five critical health outcomes related to heat exposure, including preterm birth, low birth weight, hypertensive disorders during.
