Pregnancy changes the body in various ways, and many of these changes affect how heat is controlled. These changes in the body make it harder and less pleasant for pregnant women to cool off, and climate change is making this problem worse.
The Science of Pregnancy and Heat
“An obvious thing is that pregnant people have a belly bump, depending on how far along they are, and that’s a change in their surface-to-volume ratio,” said Anna Bershteyn, an associate professor at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine and director of Project HEATWAVE, which works to stop deaths from extreme heat. The skin is the main way that heat leaves the body, thus an expanding belly makes it harder for heat to leave.
As pregnancy goes on, the body consumes more calories, which makes the body heat up more. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that pregnant women are more likely to become dehydrated because their hearts have to work harder and they need more water.
When the body gets too hot, it sends blood to the skin, which can make the skin look red or flushed. But this can cut off blood flow to the placenta, which could have an effect on how the fetus grows. Dr. Chris Holstege, head of medical toxicology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said that heat stress can also make people more likely to come into contact with chemicals like pesticides.
Risks to Long-Term and Maternal Health
Cara Schulte, a maternal health researcher at UC Berkeley and Climate Rights International, said that new research shows that being exposed to heat before being pregnant may affect subsequent pregnancies.
The EPA says that short-term heat exposure during pregnancy might raise the risk of serious problems, such as high blood pressure disorders like preeclampsia, which can be deadly for both the mother and the baby. Heat stress can also make anxiety, despair, and feelings of loneliness worse, problems that can last into the postpartum period.
Schulte noted that children who are exposed to excessive heat while still in the womb may have developmental problems for the rest of their lives, such as being born too early or with a low birth weight.
Bershteyn said, “This is a very little-studied thing.” “Most of what we know comes from studies of athletes, warriors, or young individuals who are fit. There hasn’t been as much dedication to study on women’s health.
Climate Change Makes the Risks Worse
Extreme heat events are happening more often and with more force as the world’s temperatures rise. Heatwaves, high nighttime temperatures, and inadequate access to cooling methods put pregnant people at much more risk, especially in developing nations.
Experts stress the need for more research on how heat affects pregnant women and for health standards to keep pregnant women safe during very hot weather.