A black mother wearing a yellow top and floral print skirt holding a child's hand

How rising temperatures are putting children and pregnant women at risk

Climate change is driving a surge in health risks for children and pregnant women, especially in low-income regions, by increasing exposure to extreme heat, air pollution, and malnutrition, according to a new report.

Zoya Teirstein reports for Grist.

In short:

A new review from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warns that climate change is fueling preterm births, infant and maternal deaths, and birth defects by increasing extreme heat and worsening food insecurity and air pollution.
Exposure to fine particulate matter from fossil fuel combustion and wildfire smoke is linked to 16% of low birth weight cases globally and significantly increases the risk of spontaneous preterm birth and postpartum depression.
In Africa, rising floods and droughts are worsening child mortality and malnutrition, while climate modeling shows that continued emissions could reverse expected improvements in maternal and child health.

Key quote:

"We’re still just beginning to understand the dangers, but the problem is clearly enormous."

— Authors of the report, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Why this matters:

Extreme heat can raise the risk of stillbirth, low birth weight, and developmental complications, while air pollution silently increases the odds of early labor and maternal mental health problems. At the same time, droughts and floods — intensified by a warming planet — threaten food security and clean water access, especially in low-income nations with fragile health systems. These stressors compound in ways that put a billion children at “extremely high risk,” even before birth. As global emissions climb and international aid wavers, many communities face a future where simply bringing a child safely into the world grows more perilous.

grist.org

How rising temperatures are putting children and pregnant women at risk

Flood mapping reforms stall as Trump disbands FEMA advisory group

Extreme heat and humidity reshape Iowa’s iconic cross-state bike ride

Climate shifts force travelers to rethink the best times to travel abroad

Heat drives push for workplace safety rules as summer temps soar

Environmental groups sue Trump administration over secretive climate science report

Oil drilling and water scarcity push Iraq’s famed wetlands to collapse

Clean hydrogen faces economic and political roadblocks in the U.S.

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.