Climate change mechanisms affecting women's and children's health

Year 2024, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 194 - 198, 31.08.2024

Seda Güray , Özlem Akgün

https://doi.org/10.61534/anatoljhr.1431073

Abstract

Climate change is defined as a global health threat with multifaceted environmental, social and health impacts. Climate and environmental changes pose increasingly serious risks to women, pregnant women, fetuses and children. These risks include infertility, birth anomalies, neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders, metabolic disorders, susceptibility to diseases such as obesity and allergies, preterm delivery, placental complications, pre-eclampsia, low birth weight and stillbirth, hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes and changes in maternal thyroid function. Research has also shown that menopausal women may experience sleep disturbances, fatigue, increased dependence on health resources, hot flashes and night sweats. Given climate change and the increasing number of natural disasters resulting from it, women need to be informed about its direct or indirect health impacts. This review aims to draw attention to the effects of climate change on the developmental periods of women, newborns and children.

Keywords

child health, climate change, woman

Kadın ve çocuk sağlığını etkileyen iklim değişikliği mekanizmaları

Abstract

İklim değişikliği çevresel, toplumsal ve sağlık boyutlarında çok yönlü etkiler yaratan küresel sağlık tehdidi olarak tanımlanmaktadır. İklim ve çevre değişiklikleri kadın, gebe, fetüs ve çocuklar için giderek artan ciddi riskler oluşturmaktadır. Bu riskler arasında; infertilite, doğum anomalileri, nörogelişimsel ve psikolojik bozukluklar, metabolik bozukluklar, obezite ve alerjiler gibi hastalıklara yatkınlık, erken doğum, plasenta komplikasyonları, preeklampsi, düşük doğum ağırlığı ve ölü doğum, hipertansif bozukluklar, gestasyonel diyabet ve annenin tiroid fonksiyonlarında değişiklikler yer almaktadır. Yapılan araştırmalarda menopoz dönemindeki kadınlarda uyku bozuklukları, yorgunluk, sağlık kaynaklarına bağımlılığın artması, sıcak basması ve gece terlemesi gibi semptomlara etkileri de olabilmektedir. İklim değişikliği ve bundan kaynaklanan doğal afetlerin sayısındaki artış göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, kadınların doğrudan ya da dolaylı yollardan sağlığa etkileri konusunda bilgilendirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu derleme, iklim değişikliğinin kadın, yenidoğan ve çocukların gelişimsel dönemlerine etkilerine dikkat çekmek amacıyla yapılmıştır.

Keywords

çocuk sağlığı, iklim değişikliği, kadın sağlığı

Ethical Statement

Etik kurul izni alınmayan derleme çalışmasıdır.

Supporting Institution

Herhangi bir finansal destek kullanmaya gerek görülmemiştir.

References

• Anderko, L., Chalupka, S., Du, M., & Hauptman, M. (2020). Climate changes reproductive and children’s health: A review of risks, exposures, and impacts. Pediatric Research, 87(2), 414-419. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-019-0654-7
• Avakian, M. (2021). Climate change may alter timing of first menstruation, ıncrease women’s disease risk. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/programs/geh/geh_newsletter/2021/10/spotlight/climate_change_may_alter_timing_of_first_menstruation_increase_womens_disease_risk_
• Bekkar, B., Pacheco, S., Basu, R., & DeNicola, N. (2020). Association of air pollution and heat exposure with preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth in the US: A systematic review. JAMA Network Open, 3(6), e208243. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8243
• Cerceo, E., Saxer, K., Grossman, L., Shapley-Quinn, K., & Feldman-Winter, L. (2024). The climate crisis and breastfeeding: Opportunities for resilience. Journal of Human Lactation, 40(1), 33-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344231216726
• Chalupka, S. M., Latter, A., & Trombley, J. (2023). Climate and environmental change: A generation at risk. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal / Child Nursing, 48(4), 181-187. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000924
• Deng, Q., Lu, C., Li, Y., Sundell, J., & Norbäck, D. (2016). Exposure to outdoor air pollution during trimesters of pregnancy and childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema. Environmental Research, 150, 119-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2016.05.050
• DeNicola, N., Bekkar, B., Pacheco, S., & Basu, R. (2019). A scoping review of climate-change related exposures on obstetrics outcomes [18G]. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 133, 78S. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.AOG.0000558717.21780.b6
• DeYoung, S. E., Chase, J., Branco, M. P., & Park, B. (2018). The effect of mass evacuation on infant feeding: the case of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 22, 1826-1833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2585-z
• Dutheil, F., Comptour, A., Morlon, R., Mermillod, M., Pereira, B., Baker, J. S., Charkhabi, M., Clinchamps, M., & Bourdel, N. (2021). Autism spectrum disorder and air pollution: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution, 278, 116856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116856
• Girardi, G., & Bremer, A. A. (2022). Effects of climate and environmental changes on women's reproductive health. Journal of Women's Health, 31(6), 755-757. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0631
• Giudice, L. C., Llamas‐Clark, E. F., DeNicola, N., Pandipati, S., Zlatnik, M. G., Decena, D. C. D., Woodruff, T. J., Conry, J. A., & FIGO Committee on Climate Change and Toxic Environmental Exposures. (2021). Climate change, women’s health, and the role of obstetricians and gynecologists in leadership. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 155(3), 345-356. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.13958
• Guxens, M., Lubczyńska, M. J., Muetzel, R. L., Dalmau-Bueno, A., Jaddoe, V. W., Hoek, G., van der Lugt, A., Verhulst, F. C., White, T., Brunekreef, B., Tiemeier, H., & El Marroun, H. (2018). Air pollution exposure during fetal life, brain morphology, and cognitive function in school-age children. Biological Psychiatry, 84(4), 295-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.01.016
• Harvard University Center on the Developing Child. (2022). Epigenetics and child development: How children's experiences affect their genes. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/what-is-epigenetics-and-how-does-it-relate-to-child-development/
• He, S., Kosatsky, T., Smargiassi, A., Bilodeau-Bertrand, M., & Auger, N. (2018). Heat and pregnancy-related emergencies: Risk of placental abruption during hot weather. Environment International, 111, 295-300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2017.11.004
• Helldén, D., Andersson, C., Nilsson, M., Ebi, K. L., Friberg, P., & Alfvén, T. (2021). Climate change and child health: A scoping review and an expanded conceptual framework. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(3), e164-e175. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30274-6
• Heo, Y. J., & Kim, H. S. (2021). Ambient air pollution and endocrinologic disorders in childhood. Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism, 26(3), 158-170. https://doi.org/10.6065/apem.2142132.066
• International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). (2024). From COP28 to IDM: Midwives’ role in climate action. https://internationalmidwives.org/from-cop28-to-idm-midwives-role-in-climate-action/
• Jiang, H. H., Du, Y. Y., & Li, Y. F. (2021). Ovarian toxicity and epigenetic mechanisms of phthalates and their metabolites. Current Medical Science, 41(2), 236-249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2342-1
• Kim, J., Lee, A., & Rossin-Slater, M. (2019). What to expect when it gets hotter: The impacts of prenatal exposure to extreme heat on maternal and infant health. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3475791
• Li, J., Huang, L., Han, B., van der Kuijp, T. J., Xia, Y., & Chen, K. (2021). Exposure and perception of PM2.5 pollution on the mental stress of pregnant women. Environment International, 156, 106686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106686
• Li, C., Yang, M., Zhu, Z., Sun, S., Zhang, Q., Cao, J., & Ding, R. (2020). Maternal exposure to air pollution and the risk of low birth weight: A meta-analysis of cohort studies. Environmental Research, 190, 109970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109970
• Michikawa, T., Morokuma, S., Takeda, Y., Yamazaki, S., Nakahara, K., Takami, A., Yoshino, A., Sugata, S., Saito, S., Hoshi, J., Kato, K., Nitta, H., & Nishiwaki, Y. (2022). Maternal exposure to fine particulate matter over the first trimester and umbilical cord insertion abnormalities. International Journal of Epidemiology, 51(1), 191-201. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyab192
• Mudiyanselage, S. R., Davis, D., Kurz, E., & Atchan, M. (2022). Infant and young child feeding during natural disasters: A systematic integrative literature review. Women and Birth, 35(6), 524-531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2021.12.006
• National Intelligence Council. (2021). National intelligence estimate: Climate change and international responses increasing challenges to US national security through 2040. https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/press-releases-2021/item/2252-odni-releases-national-intelligence-estimate-on-climate-change
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2022). 2021 was world's 6th-warmest year on record. https://www.noaa.gov/news/2021-was-worlds-6th-warmest-year-on-record
• Qiu, L., Shen, W., Ye, C., Wu, J., Zheng, S., Lou, B., Chen, Z., Xu, P., Xu, D., Wang, X., & Feng, B. (2022). Association of exposure to PM2.5-bound metals with maternal thyroid function in early pregnancy. Science of The Total Environment, 810, 151167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151167
• Rappazzo, K. M., Nichols, J. L., Rice, R. B., & Luben, T. J. (2021). Ozone exposure during early pregnancy and preterm birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environmental Research, 198, 111317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111317
• Ravindra, K., Chanana, N., & Mor, S. (2021). Exposure to air pollutants and risk of congenital anomalies: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Science of the Total Environment, 765, 142772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142772
• Roos, N., Kovats, S., Hajat, S., Filippi, V., Chersich, M., Luchters, S., Scorgie, F., Nakstad, B., Stephansson, O., & CHAMNHA Consortium. (2021). Maternal and newborn health risks of climate change: A call for awareness and global action. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 100(4), 566-570. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14124
• Samuels, L., Nakstad, B., Roos, N., Bonell, A., Chersich, M., Havenith, G., Luchters, S., TinaDay, L., Hirst, J. E., Singh, T., Sale, K. E., Hetem, R., Part, C., Sawry, S., Roux, J. L., & Kovats, S. (2022). Physiological mechanisms of the impact of heat during pregnancy and the clinical implications: Review of the evidence from an expert group meeting. International Journal of Biometeorology, 66(8), 1505-1513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-022-02301-6
• Shang, L., Huang, L., Yang, W., Qi, C., Yang, L., Xin, J., Wang, S., Li, D., Wang, B., Zeng, L., & Chung, M. C. (2019). Maternal exposure to PM2.5 may increase the risk of congenital hypothyroidism in the offspring: A national database based study in China. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7790-1
• Smith, J. N., van Daalen, K. R., & Venkatraman, R. (2020). Climate change and its potential impact on menopausal hot flashes: A commentary. Menopause, 27(7), 816-817. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001521
• Sun, M., Yan, W., Fang, K., Chen, D., Liu, J., Chen, Y., Duan, J., Chen, R., Sun, Z., Wang, X., & Xia, Y. (2020). The correlation between PM2.5 exposure and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: A meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 703, 134985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134985
• Tang, X., Zhou, J. B., Luo, F., Han, Y., Heianza, Y., Cardoso, M. A., & Qi, L. (2020). Air pollution and gestational diabetes mellitus: Evidence from cohort studies. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000937
• United States Global Change Research Program. (2023). Fifth national climate assessment. https://www.nca2018.globalchange.gov
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Climate change and health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health#:~:text=Climate%20change%20is%20already%20impacting,diseases%2C%20and%20mental%20health%20issues
• Zhang, M., Mueller, N. T., Wang, H., Hong, X., Appel, L. J., & Wang, X. (2018). Maternal exposure to ambient particulate matter≤ 2.5 µm during pregnancy and the risk for high blood pressure in childhood. Hypertension, 72(1), 194-201. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.117.10944
• Zhang, W., Spero, T. L., Nolte, C. G., Garcia, V. C., Lin, Z., Romitti, P. A., Shaw, G. M., Sheridan, S. C., Feldkamp, M. L., Woomert, A., SyniAn, H., Fisher, S. C., Browne, M. L., YuanTao, H., Shao, H., Hobbs, C., Carmichael, S., Reefhuis, Tinker, J., S., & Langlois, P. (2019). Projected changes in maternal heat exposure during early pregnancy and the associated congenital heart defect burden in the United States. Journal of the American Heart Association, 8(3), e010995.
• Zhang, M., Wang, C., Zhang, X., Song, H., & Li, Y. (2022). Association between exposure to air pollutants and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 32(1), 207-219. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2020.1745764