Higher temperatures increase the risk of premature delivery during the later stages of pregnancy, according to research conducted in Taiwan.
The work was part of a research project conducted by a team led by Taipei Medical University College of Public Health dean Chen Yi-hua (陳怡樺) and was presented at a seminar on Saturday on climate change’s impact on pregnancies.
It integrated cohort studies from 2011 to 2022 in Taipei and New Taipei City, and weather data from the Central Weather Administration to analyze the influence of high temperatures on fetuses.
Photo: Chen Chia-yi, Taipei Times
The research showed that for a woman who falls pregnant in the winter (and gives birth in the summer), the higher nighttime temperatures she is exposed to in late pregnancy have a negative impact on her and the child’s health.
Every 1°C increase in the average temperature raises the risk of premature birth and low birth weight by 6 percent.
For the mother, higher temperatures lead to higher rates of depression.
Taipei Medical University College of Public Health vice dean Chao Hsing (趙馨) said that there are many mechanisms linking antepartum depression and premature birth.
Heat can lead to negative emotions and increase the risk of premature birth, Chao said.
Lee Hung-chang (李宏昌), an honorary physician at Mackay Children’s Hospital, said that pregnant women and children are vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
The research also showed that exposure to green spaces during pregnancy is significantly correlated to the development of a child’s ability to concentrate.
Chao called on pregnant women to take walks in green spaces, as well as enhance their knowledge of heat risks and take necessary precautions.
She said she hoped authorities would devote more resources to green spaces to protect vulnerable groups against climate change.
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