A systematic review and meta-analysis of heat exposure impacts on maternal, fetal and neonatal health.

Lakhoo, Darshnika P, Brink, Nicholas, Radebe, Lebohang, Craig, Marlies H, Pham, Minh Duc, Haghighi, Marjan M, Wise, Amy, Solarin, Ijeoma, Luchters, Stanley, Maimela, Gloria and Chersich, Matthew F (2024) 'A systematic review and meta-analysis of heat exposure impacts on maternal, fetal and neonatal health.'. Nature Medicine. (In Press)

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Abstract

Climate Change has severe and wide-ranging health impacts, especially for vulnerable groups. Despite growing evidence of heat-associated adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes, there remains a lack of synthesis quantifying associations and identifying specific risk periods. We systematically reviewed the literature on heat impacts on maternal, fetal, and neonatal health, and quantified impacts through meta-analyses. We found 198 studies across66 countries, predominantly high income (63.3%) and temperature climate zones (40.1%), and 23 outcomes. Results showed increased odds of preterm birth of 1.04 (95%CI = 1.03, 1.06; n = 12) per 1°C increase in heat exposure and 1.26 (95%CI = 1.08, 1.47; n = 10) during heatwaves. Similarly high heat exposure increased the risk for stillbirths (OR = 1.13 (95%CI=0.95, 1.34; n = 9)), congenital anomalies (OR=1.48 (95%CI = 1.16, 1.88; n = 6)), and gestational diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.28 (95%CI = 1.05, 1.74; n = 4)). The odds of any obstetric complication increased by 1.25 (95%CI = 1.09, 1.42; n = 11) during heatwaves. Patterns in susceptibility windows varied by condition. The findings were limited by heterogeneity in exposure metrics and study designs. The systematic review demonstrated that escalating heat exposure poses a major threat to maternal and neonatal health, highlighting research priorities, guiding the selection and monitoring of heat-health indicators, and emphasising the need to prioritise maternal and neonatal health in national climate-health programmes.

Item Type:	Article
Corporate Authors:	Heat-Health Study Group, High Horizons Study Group
Subjects:	WA Public Health > WA 30.2 Climate Change WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 310 Maternal welfare WQ Obstetrics > WQ 20 Research (General) WS Pediatrics > By Age Groups > WS 420 Newborn infants. Neonatology
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03395-8
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Pubrouter
Depositing User:	JISC Pubrouter
Date Deposited:	27 Nov 2024 10:08
Last Modified:	27 Nov 2024 10:10
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/25645

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