New research suggests that working in extreme heat doubles pregnancy risks like stillbirth and miscarriage, exposing greater vulnerability for expecting women as global temperatures rise. The study, which was funded by the Indian government and conducted by the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER), followed 800 women from the southern Indian state Tamil Nadu starting in 2017, the BBC reports. Half the participants worked in jobs that largely required being outside—in farming, brick kilns, salt flats, or construction. The second cohort worked in cooler locations, like schools and hospitals, and were more likely to have access to shade, water, and rest breaks.
The difference for women exposed to outdoor extreme heat was stark, with stillbirth or preterm birth occurring in 6.1%, versus 2.6% for the women in the second cohort, according to Down to Earth. Five percent of the women outside experienced miscarriages (with 2% in the second cohort), while low birthweight occurred in 8.4% (versus 4.5% of cohort two). Previous research showed that high temperatures can raise fetal heart rates and slow down blood flow in the umbilical cord. SRIHER recommends pregnant women take certain measures to protect themselves when working in extreme heat, like staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged sun exposure, and taking shade breaks.
But the study showed that this wasn't possible for all workers, who were often outside from 6am to 5pm without access to bathrooms and shade. Some women avoided drinking water because they didn't have restrooms available, and wanted to avoid snakes or being exposed to male coworkers. "They often don't feel safe, so they'll just hold it in for the whole day and then finally go to the toilet when they get home," says Rekha Shanmugam, a former nurse and lead author of the study. (Extreme heat will make these places too hot to live.)
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