Examining the Impact of Climate Change Risks on Pregnancy through a Climate Justice Lens: A Review

Abstract

Climate change impacts such as climate-amplified weather events are increasing in intensity, frequency, and severity. Despite climate change affecting areas all around the world, the adverse impacts of climate change are unequally distributed, causing specific populations to be more susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Addressing climate inequalities in health research requires a climate justice approach, which prioritizes recognitional, distributional, and procedural justice in research and intervention design. Pregnant individuals are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts since pregnancy represents a time of both psychological and physiological change that can be extremely sensitive to the environment. Nevertheless, there are few studies examining the association between pregnancy health and climate justice. This review evaluates the status of climate change impacts and pregnancy health outcomes through recognitional, distributive, and procedural justice definitions. We identify four themes already present in the literature: 1. Vulnerable Populations Within an Already Vulnerable Population, 2. Need for More Ecological-level Studies, 3. Addressing the Structural Factors that Drive Climate Injustice, and 4. Community-Centered Solutions Moving Forward. Our findings emphasize the importance of transdisciplinary, participatory, and multisectoral collaboration to improve climate-related pregnancy health interventions.