https://tribune.com.pk/story/2461107/in-the-womb-of-changing-climate
Media Source: The Tribune (Pakistan)
Date: 5 April 2024
The impact of climate change, particularly in rural Pakistan, is profound, with significant health and agricultural consequences. Pregnant women and new mothers in Sindh Province urgently need access to cooling methods like fans and trees, clean water, and financial support to combat deadly heatwaves. Dr. Jai Das, Assistant
The impact of climate change, particularly in rural Pakistan, is profound, with significant health and agricultural consequences. Pregnant women and new mothers in Sindh Province urgently need access to cooling methods like fans and trees, clean water, and financial support to combat deadly heatwaves. Dr. Jai Das, Assistant Director at the Institute for Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University, highlights the severe consequences of these challenges, including low birth weight, preterm births, and stillbirths, along with a prevalence of congenital diseases among children born in areas affected by recent extreme climate conditions. Despite the alarming rise in temperatures worldwide, including in regions like Sindh, efforts to implement protective measures and climate resilience planning often neglect the needs of expectant mothers and newborns. Moreover, Pakistan's lack of comprehensive data on the impact of heat on pregnant women, due to limited research, impedes our understanding and response to these issues. Dr. Das notes the scarcity of retrospective data and the need for more extensive research. He mentions a four-year research project at the Aga Khan University Hospital aimed at studying the effects of heat on pregnancy and identifying critical factors."