AUTHOR=Amekpor Felix , Sakariyau Waheed , Kengo Nathan Ezie , Sandra Nwodo Amarachukwu , Agyapong Joseph , Dauda Zakariya’u , Kwarteng Samuel , Adedokun David Adeoye , Darko Gideon 

TITLE=Integrating Maternal and Child Health Into Climate Change: A Holistic Approach

JOURNAL=Public Health Reviews

VOLUME=Volume 45 - 2024

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/public-health-reviews/articles/10.3389/phrs.2024.1607553

DOI=10.3389/phrs.2024.1607553

ISSN=2107-6952

ABSTRACT=In everyday language, climate change refers to the ongoing increase in the Earth's average temperature and its repercussions on the planet's climate system. Climate change negatively affects life support systems, including air, food, water, shelter, and security, on which humans depend. Acute food insecurity, reduced water security, heat stress, extreme weather events, and air pollution are some negative impacts of climate change in regions with considerable development constraints, with women and children disproportionately affected. The World Health Organization estimates that climate change could cause 250,000 deaths annually between 2030 and 2050, with maternal and childbearing a disproportionate burden. Integrating maternal and child health initiatives with climate change mitigation strategies can yield synergistic benefits. However, despite the controlled physiological and psychological changes experienced by pregnant mothers and the developing fetus, there is limited research on how to adapt to and reduce the effects of climate change on pregnancy outcomes. Addressing maternal and child health requires integrating health-focused strategies into environmental policies to reduce vulnerabilities to climate-related risks.