Assessing Environmental Influences on Maternal and Infant Health Amidst Climate Change

The field of maternal, perinatal, and infant health is increasingly intersecting with the pressing issue of climate change, which is altering climatic conditions globally and impacting countries in diverse ways. While the effects of environmental factors such as air pollution and tobacco smoke on the mother-infant dyad have been extensively studied, the impact of other factors like heat is only beginning to be explored. Moreover, the influence of rainfall, flooding, and drought on maternal and infant health remains under-researched. Current evidence is predominantly derived from high-income countries, where resources and high-quality data are more readily available. However, there is an urgent need for research in low- and middle-income countries, which may be disproportionately affected by climate change. The adaptation and mitigation strategies effective in high-income settings may not be applicable elsewhere, highlighting the necessity for context-specific research and interventions.

This research topic aims to compile a comprehensive collection of reviews and original research articles that explore the intersection of maternal, perinatal, and infant health with climate change. The focus is on understanding the health conditions of individuals during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum, as well as the health of the fetus or newborn during the perinatal period and infancy. The objective is to investigate the individual or combined effects of environmental factors influenced by climate change, employing robust methodologies. The research should be inclusive of studies from low-resource settings, providing insights that are globally relevant and contextually appropriate.

To gather further insights in the effects of climate change on maternal, perinatal, and infant health, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Original research articles on climate change and related risk factors in maternal, perinatal, and infant health, utilizing primary data or modeling studies.
- Studies evaluating the impact of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures on maternal and infant health, including intervention assessments.
- Research advancing the understanding of biological mechanisms affected by climate change.
- Evidence from under-researched regions such as South Asia, East Asia, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.
- High-quality review articles that summarizes evidence after critically assessing original research, focusing on evidence quality and potential biases.