Ahead of the global Conference of the Parties (COP28) negotiations on climate change in Dubai slated next month, UN agencies have sought to remind the countries, particularly the developed nations to put lives and livelihoods first during negotiations, given that global warming can also have a severe impact on the health of the pregnant women, babies and children besides causing many other health hazards.
According to a Call for Action report released by United Nations (UN) agencies such as WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA, protecting maternal, newborn, and child health from the impacts of climate change is vital but so far these have been neglected, underreported, and underestimated. The UN bodies also took exception that very few countries’ climate change response plans mention maternal or child health, describing this as “a glaring omission and emblematic of the inadequate attention to the needs of women, newborns, and children in the climate change discourse”.
The Call to Action was released at an online launch event, alongside an advocacy brief by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH).
“Climate change poses an existential threat to all of us, but pregnant women, babies and children face some of the gravest consequences of all,” said Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director General for Universal Health Coverage, Life Course at the WHO. “Children’s futures need to be consciously protected, which means taking climate action now for the sake of their health and survival, while ensuring their unique needs are recognized in the climate response.”
The document cited various studies that said climate change harm can begin even in the womb, leading to pregnancy-related complications, preterm birth, low birthweight and stillbirth. For children, consequences can last a lifetime, affecting the development of their bodies and brains as they grow.
“Action on climate change often ignores that children’s bodies and minds are uniquely vulnerable to pollution, deadly diseases and extreme weather,” added UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Programmes, Omar Abdi. “We do this at our peril. The climate crisis is jeopardizing every child’s fundamental right to health and well-being ...”
“To find climate solutions that acknowledge the distinct health needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls we must start by asking the right questions,” said Diene Keita, the Deputy Executive Director for Programmes at UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. "… Safeguarding the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents is non-negotiable in the face of the climate crisis’’, said Helen Clark, PMNCH Board Chair and former Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Echoing similar concerns, Dr Vaishali Sharma, gynecologist, MD (AIIMS)COAG(Harvard) from VS Healthcare in India told The Pioneer that change in climate has many impacts on the health of the pregnant woman. “It can be associated with many complications such as rise in blood pressure called pre-eclampsia and diabetes. Heat stress caused by an increased ambient temperature can result in dehydration and adverse pregnancy outcomes, e.g., preterm deliveries, low birth rate, reduced growth of the baby and stillbirth to name a few complications,” she explained.
The UN Environment and Protection Agency too has been reminding the nations that there are many biological and behavioral changes that occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period that can make women more prone to insect-, food-, and water-related illnesses. Pregnant and postpartum women can be at increased risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression after natural disasters and extreme weather events, it said.