Climate change may be extending the length of human pregnancies, according to new West Australian research.
A study by Perth’s Curtin University found exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy.
Lead author Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu said the study analysed data from nearly 400,000 births in Western Australia and found that higher exposure to fine particulate air pollution and biothermal stress, a measure that combines air temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and human physiology, was associated with pregnancies lasting beyond 41 weeks.
Dr Nyadanu said while climate exposure had long been linked to preterm births, this was the first study to examine its impact on prolonged pregnancies.
“We know that being ‘born too soon’ has well-documented health risks, but little attention has been given to the risks associated with being ‘born too late’,” he said.
“Our findings show that exposure to air pollution and biothermal stress during pregnancy increases the likelihood of prolonged pregnancies, particularly among mothers over 35 years old, first-time mothers, those living in urban areas, and those with complicated pregnancies.”
Dr Nyadanu said environmental stressors, including climate-related exposures during pregnancy, had been associated with maternal stress response and subsequent disruptions in endocrine and inflammatory activities, which increase towards the end of pregnancy.
“This can either shorten gestation, leading to preterm birth, or lengthen gestation, resulting in prolonged pregnancy in some cases.”
He said prolonged pregnancy could have serious health implications for both mother and baby, including the need for medical interventions such as labour induction or caesarean sections, increased risk of stillbirth, birth complications, child mortality, early childhood behavioural and emotional problems, and emotional impacts on families.
Read the full study: Maternal climate-related exposures and prolonged pregnancy: Findings from a statewide population-based cohort study in Western Australia.
