A new survey of health professionals across five continents indicates that rising temperatures are increasingly linked to pregnancy complications and birth risks.
Key facts
- •Simon Stiell stated that pregnancy and birth are becoming a new, potentially fatal fault line in the global climate crisis.
- •The Wellcome-commissioned survey included 1,000 midwives and doctors across five countries.
- •Reported health complications include premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, and maternal dehydration.
- •Thirty-three countries recorded their hottest July since records began during the current year.
- •The upcoming COP31 climate summit is scheduled to take place in Turkey next month.
United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell is set to warn that extreme heat poses growing dangers to pregnant women and newborns. Speaking at a pre-COP summit in Fiji, Stiell will highlight findings from a survey showing that health professionals are increasingly observing complications linked to intense heat, including premature birth and stillbirth.
By the numbers
Survey Findings on Heat-Related Risks
A survey commissioned by the charitable foundation Wellcome, which polled 1,000 midwives and doctors in the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Brazil, and Zimbabwe, found that more than two-thirds of respondents had encountered complications caused by intense heat over the past five years. Nearly all surveyed professionals reported caring for mothers or babies suffering from the effects of extreme heat. Approximately one-third of the respondents noted cases of low birth weight, restricted growth, feeding difficulties, and dehydration or heat-related illnesses. Former Australian Prime Minister and Wellcome chairwoman Julia Gillard stated that mothers and babies are facing increased risks, describing extreme heat as an "invisible killer."
Global Climate Context
The warnings coincide with reports that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events and causing frequent heat records. Data from the European Union's Copernicus climate observatory indicates that 33 countries recorded their hottest July on record this year. The pre-COP31 summit, held in Fiji and Tuvalu, serves as a precursor to the upcoming U.N.-sponsored COP31 climate summit scheduled for next month in Turkey.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Phys.org.
