How do high ambient temperatures affect infant feeding practices? A prospective cohort study of postpartum women in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Part, Chérie; Filippi, Véronique; Cresswell, Jenny A.; Ganaba, Rasmané; Hajat, Shakoor; Nakstad, Britt; Roos, Nathalie; Kadio, Kadidiatou; Chersich, Matthew; Lusambili, Adelaide; Kouanda, Séni; Kovats, Sari

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061297

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Some of the physical consequences may seem relatively harmless in a country where maternal and neonatal mortality are high. But lack of hydration can affect health, as well as the duration of labour36–38 and breast feeding is very important for child survival 14. Also, dehydration is harmful and may cause kidney damage if its excessive 39.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pregnant women and newborns are increasingly considered vulnerable populations in the context of climate change 13. Heat exposures in the first trimester are associated with an increased risk of maternal hypertension 14 15. Epidemiological studies have documented the impact of heat on certain perinatal complications and on rates of premature birth, low birth weight and stillbirth 9.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extreme heat, pregnancy and women’s well-being in Burkina Faso: an ethnographical study

Kadio,

Filippi,

Congo

et al. 2024

BMJ Glob Health

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Climate change is an increasing threat to the health of populations in Africa, with a shift in seasonal temperatures towards more extreme heat exposures. In Burkina Faso, like other countries in the Sahel, many women have little protection against exposure to high temperatures, either outside or inside the home or place of work. This paper investigates how women perceive the impacts of heat on their physical and mental health, in addition to their social relationships and economic activities. Qualitative methods (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) were conducted with women, community representatives and healthcare professionals in two regions in Burkina Faso. A thematic analysis was used to explore the realities of participants’ experiences and contextual perspectives in relation to heat. Our research shows extreme temperatures have a multifaceted impact on pregnant women, mothers and newborns. Extreme heat affects women’s functionality and well-being. Heat undermines a woman’s ability to care for themselves and their child and interferes negatively with breast feeding. Heat negatively affects their ability to work and to maintain harmonious relationships with their partners and families. Cultural practices such as a taboo on taking the baby outside before the 40th day may exacerbate some of the negative consequences of heat. Most women do not recognise heat stress symptoms and lack awareness of heat risks to health. There is a need to develop public health messages to reduce the impacts of heat on health in Burkina Faso. Programmes and policies are needed to strengthen the ability of health professionals to communicate with women about best practices in heat risk management.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme heat, pregnancy and women’s well-being in Burkina Faso: an ethnographical study

Kadio,

Filippi,

Congo

et al. 2024

BMJ Glob Health

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“…This is because they spend most of their time farming, were unlikely to attend antenatal clinics, and are less likely to receive information on optimal breastfeeding behaviors (23). In a study of infant feeding practices in Burkina Faso, we found an effect of high temperature after adjusting for the effects of the season (a 23-minute reduction in daily breastfeeding duration per 10°C increase in temp) (24).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…High temperatures are known to have effects on mental health and wellbeing. High temperatures are associated with increased anxiety (24), lack of sleep (26, 27) and irritability (28). Infant care is very important for newborns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Too Hot To Thrive: Community perspectives on the effect of high ambient temperature on postpartum women and neonates in Kilifi, Kenya

Lusambili,

Khaemba,

Nakstad

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Objective To understand community perspectives on the effects of high ambient temperature on the health and wellbeing of neonates, and impacts on post-partum women and infant care in Kilifi. Design Qualitative study using key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with pregnant and postpartum women (n = 21), mothers-in-law (n = 19), male spouses (n = 20), community health volunteers (CHVs) (n = 22) and stakeholders from health and government ministries (n = 16). Settings We conducted our research in Kilifi County in Kenya’s Coast Province. The area is largely rural and during summer, air temperatures can reach 37 degrees Celsius and rarely drops to 23. Data analysis Data were analyzed in NVivo 12, using both inductive and deductive approaches. Results High ambient temperature is perceived by community members to have direct and indirect pathways in pregnancy and postpartum periods, including on the neonates. The impact of direct pathways includes injuries on the neonate’s skin and in the mouth, leading to discomfort, and affecting breastfeeding and sleeping. Participants described babies as “having no peace”. These effects were perceived to be amplified by indoor smoke pollution and heat from indoor cooking fires. Community members believed that exclusive breastfeeding was not practical in conditions of extreme heat because it lowered breast milk production, which was, in turn, linked to a low scarcity of food and time spend by mothers away from their neonates performing household chores. Kangaroo Mother Care was also negatively affected. Participants reported that postpartum women took longer to heal in the heat, were exhausted most of the time and tended not to attend postnatal care. Conclusions There is a widespread perception that high ambient temperatures impact on postpartum women and their neonates through direct and indirect pathways. Discomfort makes it difficult for the mother to care for the baby. Multi-sectoral policies and programs are required to mitigate the negative impacts of high ambient temperatures on maternal and neonatal health in rural Kilifi and similar settings.

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“…In the setting of chronic heat exposure, breastfed newborns can suffer from dehydration, both from free water loss and insufficient human milk production to replace that deficit (Lusambili & Nakstad, 2023). Additionally, there is some evidence that extreme heat also makes it more difficult to exclusively breastfeed, especially for newborns less than 3 months of age (Part et al, 2022). Thus, extreme temperatures may contribute to reduced breastfeeding frequency and duration.…”

Section: Multidimensional Climate Influences and Human Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Climate Crisis and Breastfeeding: Opportunities for Resilience

Cerceo,

Saxer,

Grossman

et al. 2023

J Hum Lact

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The climate crisis is an emerging global challenge that poses potential risks to breastfeeding practices and outcomes. There are multifaceted effects of climate change affecting the breastfeeding dyad across environmental, societal, and human health dimensions. Breastfeeding support in the face of climate change will require solutions at the structural level—healthcare, community, and workplace settings—and at the mother-infant dyad level. Breastfeeding can additionally be an adaptive response to crisis situations and can mitigate some of the environmental challenges associated with climate change. Despite the undeniable significance of climate change on breastfeeding (and vice versa), our perspective as experts in the field is that this topic has not been systematically addressed. Although we highlight some of the challenges, potential solutions, and co-benefits of breastfeeding in the context of climate change, there are numerous issues that could be further explored and necessitate additional preparedness planning.

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How do high ambient temperatures affect infant feeding practices? A prospective cohort study of postpartum women in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Cited by 7 publications

References 49 publications

Extreme heat, pregnancy and women’s well-being in Burkina Faso: an ethnographical study

Extreme heat, pregnancy and women’s well-being in Burkina Faso: an ethnographical study

Too Hot To Thrive: Community perspectives on the effect of high ambient temperature on postpartum women and neonates in Kilifi, Kenya

The Climate Crisis and Breastfeeding: Opportunities for Resilience

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