Framework urges countries to monitor preterm births, stillbirths and child deaths as heatwaves intensify, with 1.5 billion children exposed globally.
By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organization (WHO) and three United Nations agencies have launched a set of priority indicators to help countries monitor and respond to the health risks extreme heat poses to pregnant women, newborns and children.
The framework, developed by WHO, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), is aimed at improving early detection of heat-related health problems, strengthening preparedness and guiding timely interventions as global temperatures rise.
An estimated 1.5 billion children worldwide are exposed to heatwaves that are becoming more frequent, longer or more severe, while babies under one year old experienced 389% more heatwave days in 2024 than during the 1986-2005 baseline period, according to the report.
Studies also indicate that exposure to extreme heat is associated with a 26% increase in the odds of preterm birth, highlighting the potential risks to maternal and newborn health.
“As our world continues to heat up, it creates new risks for health, and older people, pregnant women, newborns and children are among those least able to escape them,” said Bruce Gordon, acting director of WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration.
Health systems need reliable data to recognise these risks and take action, including protecting people during heatwaves and integrating climate considerations into routine healthcare services, he said.
The new framework recommends that countries track preterm births, stillbirths, low birthweight, hypertension during pregnancy, child deaths and visits to health facilities during periods of extreme heat.
Monitoring school attendance could also help authorities assess how rising temperatures disrupt children’s education and daily lives.
Dr Pascale Allotey, director of WHO’s Department of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, said collecting such data alongside information on heat exposure would help countries identify potential health impacts and respond more effectively.
“By tracking outcomes such as preterm birth, child deaths and illnesses, and health-facility visits alongside heat exposure, countries can identify potential impacts and take action to protect women and children,” she said.
The framework encourages health authorities to combine routine health records with heat-exposure data, including air temperatures, to identify unusual changes in health outcomes during extreme heat events.
Such information could help governments anticipate increased demand for healthcare, issue targeted warnings to pregnant women and families, identify communities at greatest risk and improve planning for heat-related emergencies.
WHO urged countries to develop and implement heat-health action plans tailored to their local circumstances, with specific provisions for pregnant women, newborns and children.
It also called for stronger early-warning systems capable of triggering timely responses when heat risks emerge, as extreme temperatures become an increasingly common feature of a warming world.
The agencies say improved monitoring would help governments identify vulnerable populations, direct interventions where they are most needed and reduce preventable harm from climate-related health risks.