Exposure to heat can stunt a child’s growth, even in the womb Risk of low birth weight rises with a pregnant woman’s exposure to heat Babies exposed to heat are more likely to have lower weight and height for their age WEDNESDAY, Oct. 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Hot weather can be more than just uncomfortable and annoying: New research finds it can impact an infant’s development both before and after birth. Babies are more likely to be delivered at low birth weight as an expecting mom’s average daily heat stress increases during the first trimester, researchers found.
What’s more, growing infants regularly exposed to heat stress can experience stunted growth, results showed. At the age of 1, infants regularly exposed to average 86-degree-Fahrenheit temperatures were more likely to weigh less for their height and age than those exposed to an average temperature of 77 degrees, researchers said. “These findings build on previous evidence showing that the first trimester is a vulnerable time to heat exposure and it’s important that we now consider which factors may be contributing to the relationship,” said lead researcher , an assistant professor with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
“It’s likely that heat stress may impact appetite, food intake and availability, and we’re also already looking into whether there may be direct effects on cellular and inflammatory pathways, adding to the already reduced capacity of pregnant mothers and infa.
