Year on year, temperatures are reaching dangerous levels in many countries across the world, the ice is melting fast on both poles, and we are seeing more extreme weather events happening far more frequently than before.
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Yes, climate change is a global issue, and sooner or later, we will all feel the effects of it, unless we collectively do something – and fast. And worryingly, according to a new analysis by Climate Central, as human-induced climate change continues to warm the planet, pregnancy risks are increasing fast.
High temperatures associated with an increased risk of preterm birth
Climate Central, a nonprofit science and communications organisation, analysed daily temperature data from 2020 to 2024 in 940 cities across 247 counties and territories. Researchers looked for “extreme heat days,” which are defined by temperatures that go beyond what’s normal in the area 95 percent of the time.
The high temperatures are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and threats to maternal health; therefore, Climate Central has coined the phrase “pregnancy heat-risk days.”
Over the last four years, nearly one-third of the countries that Climate Central surveyed experienced at least one additional month of pregnancy heat-risk days on average, according to the new report.
For most of those countries, the pregnancy heat-risk days doubled — a pattern that can be linked to climate change, researchers showed.
‘Even a single day of extreme heat can raise the risk of serious pregnancy complications,’ said Climate Central’s vice president of science, Kristina Dahl, in a statement.
‘Climate change is increasing extreme heat and stacking the odds against healthy pregnancies worldwide, especially in places where care is already hard to access.’
Extreme heat can increase the risks of pregnancy complications and is linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, hospitalisations, premature births or even death, according to major health organisations such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the latest research, the United States has experienced an increase of 12 pregnancy heat-risk days each year on average.
For instance, the analysis found that West Palm Beach, Florida, experienced the most significant increase in pregnancy heat-risk days in the U.S. – jumping 48 percent between 2020 and 2024. And going by state, Utah saw the biggest increase, with 23 additional days, a 72 percent increase since 2020.
In other words, it is getting warmer fast – and it is affecting us all, pregnant women especially.
‘Extreme heat is now one of the most pressing threats to pregnant people worldwide, pushing more pregnancies into high-risk territory, especially in places already struggling with limited healthcare access,’ said Dr. Bruce Bekkar, women’s health physician and expert on how climate change impacts human health, explains to ABC News.
‘Cutting fossil fuel emissions isn’t just good for the planet — it’s a crucial step toward protecting pregnant people and newborns around the world.’
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