Climate change may have contributed to millions of stillbirths, preterm births

Of more than 32 million births in the United States, more than 80 percent had problems associated with heat or air pollution, suggesting that climate change is significantly affecting birth outcomes.

A review of the data was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this month and also found families of color were disproportionately at risk.

The problems associated with climate change include still and preterm births and low birth weight.

Rupa Basu is a co-author on the article and chief of air and climate epidemiology at the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. She said people of color are more likely to live near highways and industrial zones that emit particles that can cause inflammation in the lungs, placenta and brain.

These neighborhoods also tend to be warmer because of a high concentration of human activity and lack of trees. Basu said excess heat can cause the body to release oxytocin, which induces labor.

“We’re really hoping to get the message that heat is linked with these adverse pregnancy outcomes to the medical community,” she said. “We’re also hoping that pregnant women are included in heat advisories. Right now in the U.S., they’ve been more focused on the elderly and on some underlying diseases.”

Basu discussed her work on Climate Cast. Hit play on the audio player above to hear the conversation.