Heating Weather Threatens Wombs: When Climate Change Puts Pregnancy and SRHR at Risk
Climate change is often measured through rising temperatures, damaged crops, water shortages and extreme weather events. But one of its most concerning consequences may remain largely invisible: the impact on human health before birth. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense, pregnancy is emerging as a critical vulnerability. The consequences of a warming planet may begin long before a child takes its first breath.
Several recent reports have drawn attention to growing scientific evidence linking extreme heat with maternal, fetal and newborn health risks. The concern gained significance on October 21, when the World Health Organization (WHO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), UNICEF and UNFPA introduced the first global framework to monitor the effects of extreme heat on mothers and children.
The numbers are concerning. A systematic review published in Nature Medicine in 2025, analysing 198 studies across 66 countries, found that exposure to heatwaves was associated with a 26 per cent increase in the odds of premature birth. The research also identified associations with stillbirth, congenital abnormalities and gestational diabetes. These findings indicate a wider maternal health concern, although the strength of evidence varies across outcomes.
Bangladesh has particular reasons to pay attention. A November 2026 analysis by Zero Carbon Analytics estimated that the April 2024 heat event was associated with approximately 5,515 additional preterm births in Bangladesh, an estimated 11.9 per cent increase compared with a typical April. Of these, around 1,479 were attributed to the additional warming caused by human-induced climate change. These are model-based estimates, not individually verified birth records.
The burden is also uneven. Dhaka and Chattogram accounted for 47 per cent of the estimated additional preterm births, while Mymensingh experienced the highest rate relative to the number of births. This highlights why national averages alone cannot capture the full scale of climate-related health inequalities.
From an SRHR perspective, the issue extends beyond pregnancy complications. Access to safe maternal healthcare, adequate antenatal care, reproductive health information and dignified working conditions are all part of protecting women’s health in a warming climate. Pregnant women working in factories, agriculture and other physically demanding occupations may have limited opportunities to avoid prolonged heat exposure.
Bangladesh has already taken some steps. In May 2024, the Directorate General of Health Services, with UNICEF support, introduced national guidelines on heat-related illnesses, including protections for pregnant women and children. However, the challenge is ensuring that these measures become part of routine maternal healthcare.
The new WHO-led framework offers an opportunity to strengthen surveillance by tracking premature births, stillbirths, low birthweight and pregnancy complications alongside heat exposure. Yet data collection must lead to action: stronger antenatal services, heat-sensitive healthcare facilities, early-warning systems and protection for vulnerable workers.
As The Daily Star aptly puts it, “protecting the next generation must begin before birth.” The question is whether Bangladesh’s climate and healthcare policies are ready to recognise maternal and reproductive health as central to climate resilience. Because the right to health should not become more difficult to exercise simply because the planet is getting hotter.