WHO report says pregnant women face higher chance of early birth in heatwaves
A WHO report, as reported by Bernama citing dpa, points to a 2024 Nature study finding the risk could climb by as much as 26 per cent.
Pregnant women face a higher chance of giving birth early when they are caught in a heatwave, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, as reported by Bernama, citing the German Press Agency (dpa).
The report points to a 2024 study in the journal Nature, which found the risk could climb by as much as 26 per cent. Stillbirth, congenital abnormalities and gestational diabetes were likewise tied by that research to a heightened risk when mothers are exposed to extreme heat while pregnant.
Young children face more hot days
Compared with infants born from 1986 to 2005, babies younger than twelve months in 2024 endured nearly five times the number of heatwave days. The report said: "Globally, an estimated 1.5 billion children are exposed to heatwaves that are becoming more frequent, longer or more severe."
Advice for mothers-to-be and health authorities
Expectant mothers are advised by the WHO to drink lots of fluids when the weather is hot, to use damp cloths on the neck and feet for cooling if needed, and to arrange their activities for the cooler times of day where feasible.
Early-warning plans should be ready, the report said, and health authorities ought to step up efforts to make families aware of the dangers. They should also get ready to care for more pregnant women and babies as extremely hot days become more common.
The WHO said more data must be collected around the world so authorities can accurately judge which risks are growing and by how much.
