Climate change and the potential effects on maternal and pregnancy outcomes: an assessment of the most vulnerable – the mother, fetus, and newborn child

Abstract

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presented a large amount of evidence about global warming and the impact of human activities on global climate change. The Lancet Commission have identified a number of ways in which climate change can influence human health: lack of food and safe drinking water, poor sanitation, population migration, changing disease patterns and morbidity, more frequent extreme weather events, and lack of shelter. Pregnant women, the developing fetus, and young children are considered the most vulnerable members of our species and are already marginalized in many countries. Therefore, they may have increased sensitivity to the effects of climate change. Published literature in the fields of climate change, human health, tropical diseases, and direct heat exposure were assessed through the regular search engines. This article demonstrates that climate change will increase the risk of infant and maternal mortality, birth complications, and poorer reproductive health, especially in tropical, developing countries. Thus, climate change will have a substantial impact on the health and survival of the next generation among already challenged populations. There is limited knowledge regarding which regions will be most heavily affected. Research efforts are therefore required to identify the most vulnerable populations, fill knowledge gaps, and coordinate efforts to reduce negative health consequences. The effects of malnutrition, infectious diseases, environmental problems, and direct heat exposure on maternal health outcomes will lead to severe health risks for mothers and children. Increased focus on antenatal care is recommended to prevent worsening maternal health and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Interventions to reduce the negative health impacts caused by climate change are also crucial. Every effort should be made to develop and maintain good antenatal care during extreme life conditions as a result of climate change.

Systematic review of current efforts to quantify the impacts of climate change on undernutrition

“…However, a majority of the previous studies make only partial assessments. We found only two models that covered agroclimatic analysis to evaluate effects on childhood malnutrition (9,26) and one review assessing the impacts of climate change on pregnancy outcomes (27). Earlier reviews have investigated the impact of agricultural interventions or food production and agricultural strategies for improving outcomes in children's nutrition and health (28)(29)(30), the impact of climate change on disability-adjusted life years (31), the impacts of temperature on children's health (32), the health effects of drought (33), and the effects of climate change on crops yields (34).…”

Health Consequences of Environmental Exposures in Early Life: Coping with a Changing World in the Post-MDG Era

“…14 Food shortage and malnutrition are likely to be exacerbated by crop failure, livestock mortality, and increased grain prices. 3 Scarcity of food, water shortages, economic change, and sea-level rise in some regions are expected to lead to the emergence of "climate refugees" migrating to other, more fortunate and climate-stable regions. Although climate change and sea-level rise are not recognized under the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol, the issue is real, especially for the Pacific Island nations.…”

“…Women and children in low-income, developing countries are already more likely to suffer from chronic malnutrition. 3 Currently, undernutrition is a factor in almost half of all deaths in children age <5 years, 1 and vitamin A deficiency contributes to nearly 800,000 deaths worldwide. 13 Iron deficiency contributes to >18% of total maternal deaths and >23% of perinatal deaths.…”

“…3 Climate, economic, and social changes are likely to add to the risks in developed countries. As we move past the MDG era, we propose a plan of action that will: d Address crucial gaps in knowledge about the lasting effects of early-life environmental stressors; d Illuminate how consequences of climate change and other shifts in exposures will affect the most vulnerable populations; and d Advocate for advanced exposure assessment and biomarker development.…”

Intergenerational equity for ‘future generations’

“…'As climate change will have a substantial impact on the health and survival of the next generation among already challenged populations', 7 we exhort the respondent to renounce sectarian ideologies and include the logical responsibility for foetal health, particularly among the disadvantaged in disasterprone areas of poor countries.…”