TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Escalating heat exposure poses a major threat to maternal and neonatal health, according to a review published online Nov. 5 in Nature Medicine.

Darshnika P. Lakhoo, M.B.Ch.B., M.P.H., from University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to assess heat impacts on maternal, fetal, and neonatal health.

Based on 198 studies (66 countries), the researchers found increased odds of preterm birth per 1 degree Celsius increase in heat exposure (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 12 studies) and during heatwaves (OR, 1.26; 10 studies). High heat exposure was also associated with an increased risk for stillbirths (OR, 1.13; nine studies), congenital anomalies (OR, 1.48; six studies), and gestational diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.28; four studies). During heatwaves, the odds of any obstetric complication increased 25 percent (11 studies). Conditions showed variance in susceptibility windows. Overall, heterogeneity in exposure metrics and study designs limited findings.

“This is a pivotal moment for public health and climate action. Protecting the health of pregnant women and newborns must become a priority in our response to climate change,” Lakhoo said in a statement. “We hope these findings will catalyze change at the policy level, ensuring at-risk populations receive the support they need.”

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