Chijioke Iremeka
Maternal and childcare experts have raised concerns over the danger posed by climate change to maternal health, warning that it can cause severe pregnancy complications including foetal deaths, respiratory disorders and low birth weight in children.
According to them, global warming, which manifests in different forms, especially as extreme heat, is associated with increased risks of complications like gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth, among others, that can cause adverse maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
The World Health Organisation says protecting maternal, and newborn health from climate change impact is non-negotiable and called for a global action to stem the tide.
The WHO noted that climate vulnerabilities, including extreme heat, are associated with increased risks of developing complications with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.
“These complications may include multiple causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality such as gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth,” WHO stated.
Also, the US Environmental Protection Agency said exposure to extreme heat can lead to dehydration and kidney failure in pregnant women.
“Pregnant women are more prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Extreme heat exposure in pregnant women has been associated with low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality,” it added.
However, specialists who spoke exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in different interviews said exposure to climate hazards and their aftermath during and after pregnancy can also affect mental health and contribute to intergenerational trauma.
A Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Dr Chukwuneme Okpala said it is important for pregnant women to be in the best state of health.
He said, “They need enough blood circulation so that there will be enough blood flow to the placenta, which is a medium through which the baby gets nutrition and oxygen from the mother.
“Now, if anything tampers with the blood circulation to the placenta, the baby will be affected. Evidence has shown that climate change leads to hypoxia which means low oxygen in circulation.”
He explained that hypoxia is a state in which oxygen is not available in sufficient amounts at the tissue level to maintain adequate balance within the body system for survival and to function optimally.
“When the baby gets less oxygen, it will suffer Intrauterine Growth Restriction, a condition that occurs due to various reasons. This is an important cause of foetal demise and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
“It will look similar to what happens to a malnourished child. When a child is malnourished, it will be exposed to all kinds of diseases because the body is not strong enough to withstand any stress.
“So, those foetuses that have IUGR if not corrected will have low birth weight because they will not achieve their growth potential. Some organs in their bodies will be affected too. In this situation, it may affect their brain depending on the part of the brain affected.
“This might affect the cognitive area of their brain. If this condition is not corrected during pregnancy, it may lead to foetal death.”
He said apart from seeking a law to stop gas flaring, which is a major source of pollution, pregnant women should take steps to protect themselves.
Okpala said, “They shouldn’t be in a toxic environment, or stay close to factories emitting gases. However, when it becomes impossible to stay away from such a place, especially when it is linked to their sources of livelihood, they should protect themselves by wearing protective masks, and not wait for employers to hand them out.
“In addition, pregnant women should take enough water. Blood is made of water and red blood cells. When a pregnant woman takes enough water, it increases the volume of oxygen in the blood.
“So when water is taken and soda minimised, blood circulation would increase and oxygen will circulate fast within a short space of time. They should also eat well to mitigate the effect of climate change on them.”
Corroborating his position, a Consultant Paediatrician and Gastroenterologist at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Dr Adefunke Babatola, said global warming makes children susceptible to respiratory disorders due to contaminated air they breathe.
He noted that children with sickle cell disease are especially prone to having crises because of excessive heat.
“Disorders like pneumonia and respiratory tract infections are directly related to children and are serious diseases because they affect the lungs and breathing.
“Pneumonia is a leading cause of infectious disease death among children younger than five. Also, extreme heat caused by climate change will cause heat rash on children’s bodies and once the heat rash is infected, it can lead to skin sepsis as well as other systemic illnesses.”
In mitigating this, she recommended intake of a huge amount of water, saying everybody should be well hydrated, drinking up to three litres of water per day.”
Buttressing this point, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine by Dr Sonja Rasmussen and Dr Denise Jamieson titled, ‘Protecting Pregnant People and Babies from the Health Effects of Climate Change,’ affirms that climate change is a major public health threat.
The study stated that the effects of climate change are already threatening human health, and pregnant women with their newborns are at high risk for related harm.
“The health of future generations depends on our actions today. Pregnant women’s exposure to toxic gases, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter, has been associated with an increased risk of gestational hypertension and diabetes, conditions that can carry long-term health risks for the mothers.
“Exposure to wildfire smoke or its components has been associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, outcomes that can similarly have lifelong health effects.”
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