Extreme heat poses increasing health risks for pregnant women, newborns and children, warns the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO has joined with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to launch a new global framework to better monitor the impact of heat on mothers and children. Research cited by the WHO shows that heat exposure is linked to a 26% increase in the risk of premature birth. The WHO unveiled the framework on 21 October and says health authorities must monitor heat exposure alongside health data to identify warning signs earlier. The proposed indicators include premature births, stillbirths, low birth weight, high blood pressure during pregnancy and child deaths.
According to the organization, babies younger than one year experienced 389% more days with heat waves globally in 2024 compared to the reference period of 1986 to 2005. An estimated 1.5 billion children worldwide are exposed to heat waves that are becoming more frequent, lasting longer or becoming more severe.
The organizations are calling on countries to develop heat health plans adapted to local conditions. Early warnings, access to health services and better monitoring can help protect vulnerable groups as extreme heat increases.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
