Hurricane Charley Exposure and Hazard of Preterm Delivery, Florida 2004

Abstract

Objective Hurricanes are powerful tropical storm systems with high winds which influence many health effects. Few studies have examined whether hurricane exposure is associated with preterm delivery. We aimed to estimate associations between maternal hurricane exposure and hazard of preterm delivery. Methods We used data on 342,942 singleton births from Florida Vital Statistics Records 2004-2005 to capture pregnancies at risk of delivery during the 2004 hurricane season. Maternal exposure to Hurricane Charley was assigned based on maximum wind speed in maternal county of residence. We estimated hazards of overall preterm delivery (<37 gestational weeks) and extremely preterm delivery (<32 gestational weeks) in Cox regression models, adjusting for maternal/pregnancy characteristics. To evaluate heterogeneity among racial/ethnic subgroups, we performed analyses stratified by race/ethnicity. Additional models investigated whether exposure to multiples hurricanes increased hazard relative to exposure to one hurricane. Results Exposure to wind speeds ≥39 mph from Hurricane Charley was associated with a 9 % (95 % CI 3, 16 %) increase in hazard of extremely preterm delivery, while exposure to wind speed ≥74 mph was associated with a 21 % (95 % CI 6, 38 %) increase. Associations appeared greater for Hispanic mothers compared to non-Hispanic white mothers. Hurricane exposure did not appear to be associated with hazard of overall preterm delivery. Exposure to multiple hurricanes did not appear more harmful than exposure to a single hurricane. Conclusions Hurricane exposure may increase hazard of extremely preterm delivery. As US coastal populations and hurricane severity increase, the associations between hurricane and preterm delivery should be further studied.

Implications of Prenatal Exposure to the Spring 2011 Alabama and Missouri Tornadoes on Birth Outcomes

“…These findings are consistent with other studies, which did not find a significant effect of exposure to natural disasters on preterm birth and low birth weight. 1,2,28,29,[32][33][34] Our findings differ from prior research evidence published by Simeonova, and highlight disparities in the literature regarding the influence of tornadoes on preterm birth and low birth weight. Simeonova detected marginal statistically significant evidence correlating exposure to thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes with preterm birth and low birth weight.…”

“…[1][2][3] Adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with in utero exposure to severe storms include low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age. [1][2][3] Research evidence shows that the magnitude of the effects of various natural disasters tends to vary by the disaster type and exposure experience. 3 Little is known about birth outcomes related to prenatal exposure to tornadoes.…”

Public health implications of multiple disaster exposures

“…82 Physical health 16 articles focused on physical health after multiple disasters. 75,76,79,80,[122][123][124][125][126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133] One study, which looked at 500 com munities across the USA, found that those who had experienced recurring disasters had increased incidences of asthma, high blood pressure, and self-reported poor mental health and poor physical health. Moreover, the incidence of all such outcomes increased with each additional year in which a community experienced a disaster.…”

“…One article on maternal and child health found that exposure to Hurricane Charley (2004) during pregnancy or shortly before conception was associated with increased risk of extremely preterm delivery; however, exposure to additional hurricanes did not seem to increase this risk further. 80 There were also indications of a connection between mental health and physical health outcomes in settings affected by multiple disasters. One study in the Gulf Coast of the USA suggested that losses as a result of Hurricane Katrina were associated with subsequent distress related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which in turn was associated with physical health symptoms-suggesting that mental health effects from disasters can be one pathway to physical health effects.…”

Influenza virus vaccine compliance among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic (pre-vaccine era) in Israel and future intention to uptake BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

“…Pregnant women who are at risk of contracting the flu and suffering from its complications are now also at risk for psychological consequences associated with the COVID-19 pandemic [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] , [36] , [37] , [38] . Therefore, the present study sought to examine the factors influencing compliance with the influenza vaccine among pregnant and postpartum women in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.…”