New study links excess heat to risk of preterm birth
After analyzing more than a million births in Sydney over 20 years, an Australian research team found a strong link between babies born before 37 weeks of gestation and exposure to extremely high temperatures. The authors believe a similar situation could occur in Spain.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Fountain: SYNCHRONIZATION
Rights: Creative community.
In front of him rising temperatures around the worldA new study conducted by Monash University (Australia) analyzed whether this fact is associated with premature birth. The results were published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Conducted between 2000 and 2020 among 1.2 million newborns in Sydney.this work shows a strong connection between risk give birth before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy and exposure to extreme heat in the third trimester.
Of course, evidence suggests that pregnant women living in areas with abundant green spaces and extensive forest cover can mitigate these threats.
“In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in the frequency of extremely hot days, an alarming trend due to the effects of climate change,” he explains to SINC. Shanshan (Shendi) Lifrom the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and director of the study, “and this trend is expected to worsen in the future, creating even greater risks.”
“He premature birth “This may have serious effects on brain development and increase susceptibility to certain psychiatric disorders,” Lee adds, “but our understanding of the link between heat exposure and preterm birth remains limited.”
According to the authors, health services should consider preparing for the increase in birth rates. between 21 and 37 weeks as our climate warms.
“Our goal is to provide compelling evidence to governments, communities, public health services, clinicians and individuals. These data will allow them to implement measures to reduce the risks associated with preterm birth caused by heat exposure,” continues the researcher.
Reduce heat exposure during pregnancy
The study concluded that exposure to extreme heat during the day and night in the third quarter was strongly associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, as opposed to the same exposure in the first or second trimester.
This association existed for all vegetation levels in the area, although the strength of the association was somewhat reduced for women living in places with a lot of trees. According to the authors, this raises the possibility that such greenery may partially reduce the excess risk of exposure to extreme heat in the third trimester, “although the potential palliative effects of green space or trees on labor are not fully known.” induced preterm labor,” Lee says.
“The results highlight the fundamental role medical workers when advising pregnant women to minimize exposure to excessive heat, especially in the third trimester, as a measure to reduce the risk of preterm birth,” the author points out.
“In addition, they highlight the urgent need for governments and communities, both locally and globally, to prioritize expanding green spaces through initiatives such as planting more trees and creating grasslands,” he notes.
The Importance of Prenatal Temperature
There is growing, although still limited, epidemiological evidence linking prenatal environmental temperature to birth outcomes, he said. Yuming Guolead author of the study.
“Night air temperature, in particular extreme heat at night, significantly affects health, including sleep and rest. Sleep quality and duration influence various aspects of health, and changes in these factors can have consequences for pregnancy outcome,” he notes.
“High night temperatures can change Heart rhythms and potentially affect blood pressure, which can be a problem for pregnant women. Given the expected rise in temperatures as our planet warms, it is critical to understand its impact on fertility outcomes and develop strategies to reduce risks,” he insists.
As for possible differences between different countries around the world, Lee states that the risk of preterm birth is associated with heat exposure. may vary from country to country due to various socio-economic and demographic factors. As for Spain, “given the increasing frequency of hot days and the relatively low prevalence air conditionerit is possible that in this context there may be a risk of preterm birth associated with heat exposure,” he concludes.