How Climate Change Affects Pregnant Women and Their Fetuses

Evidence has shown that pregnant women are more at risk from climate change than men.

They make up a majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on natural resources, leading them to feel the effects of climate change far greater.

With global temperatures and emissions constantly on the rise, the threat of Pollution to public health is only getting greater. Pregnant women and their fetuses are in the worst danger as they are at risk of cardiac disease, respiratory disease, and stress on mental health.

For the first time in the US, researchers found consistent evidence that Pollution has negative health effects on pregnant women and their fetuses. Which could have serious effects on pregnancy, such as stillbirth, low birth weight, and preterm delivery rates.

Microscopic air pollutants and heat pollution can both have a serious impact on soon-to-be mothers and are especially dangerous to those who already have lung-related health issues such as asthma.

The study found that women from minority groups also suffered the most from poverty and exposure to polluted environments.

Kelly Davis, chief of birth equity innovation at the National Birth Equity Collaborative, said, “Pregnancy is a natural stress test. So if folks are already stressed, through environmental racism, environmental injustice, their stress is only exacerbated during the very fragile time of pregnancy and childbirth.”

Pollution also causes a great deal of stress and anxiety which can make a soon-to-be mother much more vulnerable to the side effects of pollution.

Related Content:

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