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Extreme Heat Puts Pregnant Women and Newborns at Risk, UN Climate Chief Warns

By Freedom251 Team · · 3 min read

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Extreme heat is associated with serious risks during pregnancy and around birth, including preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. Ahead of the October 5, 2026 pre-COP summit in Nadi, Fiji, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell was reported as expected to warn that heat is increasingly putting pregnant women and newborns at risk. The available report describes remarks he was expected to make, not a confirmed transcript of what he said.

What the UN climate chief was expected to warn

A CNA report published October 5, 2026, said Stiell was expected to link climate-driven extreme heat during pregnancy with premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight and maternal complications. The article also quoted Wellcome chair Julia Gillard urging leaders to act on the risks. Because the report framed Stiell’s remarks as forthcoming, it should not be read as confirmation that he delivered those exact words. CNA’s report provides the context for the warning.

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How can extreme heat affect pregnancy and newborn health?

The World Health Organization says climate hazards, including extreme heat, are associated with increased risks of complications that can lead to adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Its 2023 call to action names gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. These are associations across evidence, not proof that heat caused a particular person’s complication. Climate-related exposures and their aftermath may also affect mental health. WHO’s call to action summarizes these risks.

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Risk can vary with the frequency, intensity and duration of heat. WHO Europe also highlights greater concern for people who are socioeconomically vulnerable, who may have fewer ways to avoid heat or cool their homes. Babies, including newborns, are also vulnerable to heat exposure. WHO Europe’s pregnancy and heat Q&A discusses these factors.

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What healthcare professionals reported about heat-related cases

Wellcome’s campaign reports results from a Censuswide survey conducted in September 2026. It included 1,000 currently practicing healthcare professionals, including 250 midwives, in the UK, India, Australia, Brazil and Zimbabwe. The findings describe respondents’ experiences and perceptions; they are not a population-level study measuring the incidence of clinical outcomes.

Survey finding What respondents reported
Care involving pregnant women 98% had cared for a pregnant woman whose health they believed extreme heat had adversely affected.
Care involving babies 99% had cared for a baby they believed had been adversely affected by extreme heat.
Change in maternal cases 73% reported an increase in maternal heat-related cases or complications.
Change affecting fetal or newborn health 76% reported an increase in heat-related cases or complications affecting fetal or newborn health in the past five years.
Need for support 92% wanted more training and resources to protect pregnant women during extreme heat.

All figures are self-reported findings from the Wellcome-commissioned September 2026 survey, not independently verified clinical rates. Wellcome’s campaign page describes the survey.

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What can pregnant women do to stay cooler during a heatwave?

WHO Europe’s pregnancy-specific advice is to keep cool and hydrated, spend time in air-conditioned places when possible, and carry cloths that can be rinsed for cooling. Access to air conditioning may not be realistic for everyone, so consider what is safe and available locally and follow advice from a healthcare professional for individual concerns.

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WHO’s general heat guidance also recommends using cooler night air to cool the home, blocking direct sunlight during hotter daytime conditions, and taking cool showers or using damp cloths. It says electric fans should be used only when temperatures are below 40°C. This is general heat-health guidance, not a pregnancy-specific treatment recommendation; a fan should not be presented as a substitute for reducing heat exposure. WHO’s heat and health fact sheet covers these household measures.

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What remains to be done on heat warnings and care?

Health systems need ways to identify and prepare for heat-related risks to pregnant and postpartum women, newborns and infants. WHO’s 2024 monitoring report discusses developing indicators for maternal and newborn heat impacts and building consensus on tailored heat-health warning thresholds. Those tailored thresholds are an area of ongoing development, not a finalized global standard. WHO’s monitoring report describes this work.

The survey’s finding that 92% of respondents want more training and resources points to a practical need: clinicians and communities need usable guidance, while public agencies need monitoring and warning systems that account for people who have limited access to cooling or cannot easily leave hot environments.

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