A new study has found that climate change can impact babies while they are still in the womb. Climate change has been a hot topic of conversation lately, and not just conversation at the dinner table, but politicians are speaking about it. While many call for action to stop it from happening, studies are being done to see what the implications of it can be. When a woman is pregnant, she can feel like her baby is in the safest place it could be. That she is working hard to make sure that she is protecting them from the big, scary outside world.
However, this may not be true. According to Medical Xpress, a study has shown that climate change can impact a baby before it has even had the chance to breathe outside air. This study involved a review of research, which can be read in full here.
Researchers from Columbia University and Stanford University have found that children across the globe are at a higher risk of health problems due to air pollution and climate change. However, they have also found that this increased risk to children starts before they are even born, and it can carry with them into adulthood.
While climate change is impacting everyone, the impact is different for certain populations, and it is important that researchers know what this impact is so that they can work on how to lessen it, and protect the health of everyone.
Researchers have already found that this risk is higher for children in general since they are still developing and growing. The review of the research found that when pregnant women breathe in polluted air due to climate change, it can impact the growing fetus, and it could cause health complications.
It could cause damaged lungs and even a “reduction” in intellectual abilities. This is beyond the previously known risks like premature birth, low birth weight, and even stillbirth.
When they looked at what kind of climate change is the most responsible for this, they found a direct link with the production of less healthy food in some parts of the world. They also found that natural events, like tornadoes, hurricanes, and heat waves, are making it difficult for children and women who are pregnant.
Researchers are calling medical professionals to monitor children and infants who were born in areas that are more afflicted by climate change to see if there are any adverse reactions.
Sources: Medical Xpress, NEJM