The journal Nature Climate Change recently published an extensive analysis of extreme heat and its impact on pregnancy. The results may surprise you…

Hardly a day goes by that climate change is not in the news. And rightfully so. Climate change is likely humankinds most critical concern, one which has the potential to wipe out all life on earth.

Although all of us live here on earth and will experience the effect of climate change, sometimes we fail to understand how climate change actually affects us personally. Many people believe climate change may not directly affect them, or they poorly understand just how it may affect them.

A recent study concluded that if high carbon emissions continue at their current rate, babies born in the United States could lose a collective 250,000 days of gestation annually by the year 2100. Researchers found that birth deliveries can be accelerated by up to two weeks.

Exposure to increased environmental temperatures, i.e. extreme heat days, may increase early labour and delivery. Early delivery is thought to be triggered by cardiovascular stress or increasing levels of oxytocin, the hormone closely involved in labour.

This effect from climate change may affect people before they are even born. Premature delivery has far-reaching effects; studies show pre-term babies are more likely to have poorer health in infancy and overall reduced cognitive abilities later.

This study adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests climate change will have far reaching negative impacts for generations to come.

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