How climate change will impact us through our lifetime: Part 1 (maternity and newborns)

Phephu Methubula and her neighbours have to walk for more than two hours in the heat to collect water for their families in Mahlathi village, Limpopo. (Photo: Julia Evans)

By Julia Evans

17 Sep 2024

Climate change is no longer a distant threat. Air pollution and the impacts of climate change are having real-time impacts on our health. This is how we will be affected throughout our lifespan.

Scientists already know that climate change – which is indisputably driven by human activities – is making extreme climate events, including heatwaves, heavy rainfall and droughts, more frequent and severe.

Now, a recent collection of papers published in the Journal of Global Health has found that pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents and older people are facing serious health complications due to climate change. However, despite these groups’ heightened risks, their specific needs have largely been overlooked in climate response efforts.

The collection, titled Climate Change Across the Life Course, authored by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and academics from around the world, documented the available scientific evidence on the health impacts of different climate hazards at key life stages.

“These studies show clearly that climate change is not a distant health threat, and that certain populations are already paying a high price,” says Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the WHO.

“For climate justice to be achieved, this must be urgently redressed.”

The first paper in the collection looks at how climate change poses a risk to maternal and newborn health.

Heatwaves

One of the most concerning findings is the significant risk that heatwaves pose to maternal and newborn health.

The paper, which considered dozens of reviews related to heat and maternal and newborn health, found that pregnant women exposed to high temperatures face a 25% increased risk of developing hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia, particularly when conception occurs during hotter months. Scientists believe that heat may reduce placental blood flow and trigger inflammation, though the exact biological mechanisms are still being studied.

Heat can also elevate the chances of gestational diabetes by 12% and worsen mental health issues, adding to the stress of pregnancy.

The research also showed that high temperatures, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy, are linked to preterm births and stillbirths. Research shows a 16% increase in the odds of preterm birth during heatwaves and a 5% rise for every 1°C temperature increase. Given that preterm birth is the leading cause of childhood deaths globally, this trend is alarming.

Newborns are similarly at risk, with heat exposure linked to lower birth weights and heightened hospitalisation rates. Low birth weight, in particular, can have long-term health consequences, including developmental delays and greater vulnerability to infections and asthma.

Read more: Climbing temperatures pose risk to health and strain healthcare systems — expert

Air pollution

Beyond heat, air pollution is another climate-related hazard that is quietly harming mothers and newborns.

Pregnant women exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), primarily from fossil fuel emissions and wildfires, are at higher risk of hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes.

For newborns, air pollution is strongly associated with adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight. One meta-analysis found that approximately 35% of global preterm births could be attributed to PM2.5 exposure – which is equivalent to over 5.8 million newborns in 2019.

Seven reviews found that ambient air pollution exposure, particularly PM2.5 exposure, was associated with an increased risk of congenital anomalies, with cardiac defects being the most commonly reported.

Extreme weather events

The increase in extreme weather events, such as floods, hurricanes, and droughts, further exacerbates the dangers for mothers and newborns. These disasters disrupt access to essential services, including healthcare, housing, and food, which are critical during pregnancy and postpartum recovery.

For instance, floods are associated with higher rates of preterm birth and maternal mortality, while hurricanes can lead to long-term health complications for both mothers and their children. The psychological toll of living through such disasters — combined with the physical dangers — can also affect maternal mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder.

South African vulnerabilities

“Vulnerability is a factor of many things – it’s about where you live, who you are, your socioeconomic status,” said Dr Gloria Maimela, senior technical advisor for climate and health at Wits RHI, and co-author of one of the papers in the collection.

Most research on heat’s impact on maternal and newborn health comes from the Global North, but Maimela said that ongoing studies in South Africa aim to gather localised evidence to inform local policy.

Preliminary research found that certain types of households increase the risk of heat exposure.

“Informal settlements are so-called ‘urban heat islands’; the area is dense, there’s a lack of vegetation, the houses themselves often are built with corrugated iron and have no windows,” said Maimela.

In terms of who you are, Maimela explained, “women are also vulnerable because of a lack of agency – the ability to negotiate a safer environment for themselves.

“For example, even if it’s hot, cultural norms dictate that women will have to walk a distance to reach water.”

women fetching water Phephu Methubula and her neighbours have to walk for more than two hours in the heat to collect water for their families in Mahlathi village, Limpopo. (Photo: Julia Evans)

The researchers gave women Fitbit watches, monitored their steps, and found there was no change in how long they walked during hot periods.

The WHO collective research found that a lack of infrastructure, poverty, and limited healthcare access leave pregnant women and newborns in these regions especially vulnerable.

Read more: Women and children hit hardest by climate change, global health conference told

Addressing the crisis

To tackle the maternal and newborn health crisis worsened by climate change, experts from this research emphasise incorporating health concerns into national climate policies, promoting renewable energy to cut emissions and improve air quality, and ensuring food and water security through sustainable methods.

Maimela and her team recently hosted a co-design workshop in Tshwane, engaging pregnant women, policymakers, and community leaders to develop solutions. Interventions included educating women on heat exposure risks, providing clean water, installing JoJo tanks, and offering umbrella hats for shade.

Structural improvements like reflective roof painting – which has been shown to decrease indoor temperatures by as much as 30% – and air conditioning were also recommended.

Maimela emphasised that this research is important because “climate change is upon us, and we are seeing the impact of climate change on health.

“But also, we’re trying to generate contextualised evidence, as opposed to just evidence from the North, to inform local policy.”

Along with adaptation, as the paper suggests, Maimela says we need to focus on climate mitigation.

“We are looking at adaptation interventions to mitigate the impact of health on women,” said Maimela, “but at the root is the cause of climate change – greenhouse gas emissions.” DM

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Maverick Citizen

Heatwaves

Air pollution

Extreme weather events

South African vulnerabilities

Addressing the crisis