By PPH Foundation

As the world marks World Environment Day, maternal health experts are increasingly warning that environmental health challenges, including extreme heat, air pollution, poor water quality, and climate-related stressors, are becoming important contributors to pregnancy complications that can increase risks associated with postpartum haemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal deaths globally.

Emerging evidence continues to show that environmental exposures during pregnancy affect maternal wellbeing, placental function, blood pressure regulation, nutrition, and access to healthcare, all of which influence maternal outcomes during childbirth. Health researchers note that climate change and environmental degradation are no longer separate from maternal health discussions, as pregnant women remain among the populations most vulnerable to environmental risks.

A major 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Nature Medicine examining 198 studies across 66 countries found that heat exposure during pregnancy is increasingly associated with adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. Researchers warned that rising temperatures are exposing pregnant women to growing health risks, particularly in low-resource settings where access to cooling systems, healthcare services, and climate-resilient infrastructure remains limited.

Additional research published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety in 2025 found that exposure to air pollutants, particularly fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, is associated with pregnancy complications affecting placental health and maternal wellbeing. Researchers emphasized that environmental pollution continues to contribute to conditions that increase vulnerability during pregnancy and childbirth.

The World Health Organization further warns that climate change is already affecting health through heat stress, food insecurity, poor air quality, water-related illnesses, and disruptions in health systems. These pressures disproportionately affect women, particularly pregnant mothers living in vulnerable communities.

Prof Julius Ogeng’o, Co-Lead of the End Postpartum Haemorrhage Initiative, says environmental health must increasingly be recognized as part of maternal health prevention strategies.

“Environmental conditions directly influence maternal wellbeing before, during, and after pregnancy. Extreme heat, poor air quality, food insecurity, and limited access to healthcare can worsen vulnerabilities that increase risks associated with postpartum haemorrhage. Protecting mothers therefore requires investments not only in healthcare systems, but also in healthier and more resilient environments,” says Prof Ogeng’o.

Maternal health experts continue to call for stronger climate-responsive health systems, environmental protection policies, improved air quality, access to safe water, and targeted support for vulnerable pregnant women as part of broader efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths and strengthen maternal health outcomes.

Sources

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2. Zhang Y, Liu X, Wang H, et al. Air pollutants and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A multi-method integration of Mendelian randomization, meta-analysis, and animal models. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2025;302:118699. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118699.
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