Samara Athina, Hanton Thomas, Thakar Ranee, Jauniaux Eric, Khalil Asma
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Front Glob Womens Health. 2025 Jun 13;6:1483938. doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2025.1483938. eCollection 2025.
The climate crisis poses profound risks to women particularly during pregnancy. With rising global temperatures and increasing frequency of extreme weather events, there is an urgent need for health initiatives and guidelines tailored to the unique vulnerabilities of pregnant individuals. We conducted a review of English-language literature from 2000-2024 using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing on "climate change," "pregnancy," and "maternal health," and included original studies, reviews. Relevant policy documents, including some published in 2025 were also included. We examine the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change, such as extreme weather events, water scarcity, malnutrition, and exposure to environmental pollutants like contaminated air and water, which directly and indirectly affect maternal and fetal health. The review explores the associations between these environmental stressors and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm births, low birth weight, and developmental complications. These challenges are compounded in low-resource settings where healthcare infrastructure is limited, exacerbating inequities in maternal care. Furthermore, we focus on key areas for further investigation, including the long-term health effects of in-utero exposure to pollutants. The review addresses evidence-based strategies to reduce the environmental impact of healthcare through early interventions, innovation, and strengthened initiatives. It emphasises empowering healthcare professionals to educate others, raise awareness among policymakers, advocate for climate-conscious policies, and promote sustainable practices reducing the carbon footprint of the healthcare system, with a focus on the UK. In response to these pressing concerns, leading professional organizations, such as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in the UK, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) in the US, are prioritizing the intersection of climate change and women's health. Their initiatives, which aim to mitigate the climate-change impacts on pregnancies and fetal health by promoting research, raising awareness, and developing actionable strategies, are also highlighted. By amplifying awareness and global collaboration, the suggested strategies aim to protect maternal and fetal health in the face of an escalating climate crisis.
气候危机对女性尤其是孕期女性构成了深远风险。随着全球气温上升以及极端天气事件的频率增加，迫切需要针对孕妇独特脆弱性制定的健康倡议和指南。我们使用PubMed、Scopus和Web of Science对2000年至2024年的英文文献进行了综述，重点关注“气候变化”“怀孕”和“孕产妇健康”，纳入了原创研究、综述。还包括了相关政策文件，其中一些发布于2025年。我们研究了气候变化带来的多方面挑战，如极端天气事件、水资源短缺、营养不良以及接触受污染空气和水等环境污染物，这些直接或间接影响孕产妇和胎儿健康。该综述探讨了这些环境压力源与不良妊娠结局之间的关联，包括早产、低出生体重和发育并发症。在医疗保健基础设施有限的资源匮乏地区，这些挑战更加复杂，加剧了孕产妇护理方面的不平等。此外，我们关注进一步调查的关键领域，包括子宫内接触污染物对健康的长期影响。该综述阐述了通过早期干预、创新和强化倡议来减少医疗保健对环境影响的循证策略。它强调赋予医疗保健专业人员权力，以便教育他人、提高政策制定者的认识、倡导气候意识政策并推广可持续做法以减少医疗保健系统的碳足迹，重点是英国。针对这些紧迫问题，英国皇家妇产科医师学院（RCOG）和美国妇产科医师学会（ACOG）等领先专业组织正在将气候变化与女性健康的交叉领域作为优先事项。还强调了它们旨在通过促进研究、提高认识和制定可操作战略来减轻气候变化对妊娠和胎儿健康影响的倡议。通过提高认识和全球合作，所建议的策略旨在在气候危机不断升级的情况下保护孕产妇和胎儿健康。
