How climate change is affecting unborn children

There is a relationship between low birth weight and excessive rainfall of a child born in the Amazon region of Brazil. The research underscores the long-term health effects of climate change climate.

Researchers, researched climate change and the health of the unborn child. The research focused on harsh weather and the birth weight of children. 

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This research has been done by Lancaster University in UK and Fiocruz Health Research Institute of Brazil.

Research results

In the northern Amazon state, exceptionally heavy rains and flooding during pregnancy were seen to be associated with low baby weight at birth. 

Researchers compared three million births in the last 11 years with local weather data and found that heavy rains could lead to weight loss at birth.

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Why lose weight?

This research, connecting the link between climate change and the unborn child, has been published in the journal Nature Sustainability. 

Poor education system, poor health facilities, economic weakness have been said to be the reason for the low birth weight of the child.

Effect of rain on weight

The research said that 40 percent of the newborns are at risk of losing weight even when there is no heavy rain. 

Research co-author Luke Parry says that due to heavy rains and floods, there is a risk of malaria and infectious diseases, food and mental health issues in pregnant women are also responsible for underweight.

"Climate injustice"

Luke Parry says that these people are far away from the Amazon cutting forests and this is an example of "climate injustice". 

According to him, the environment of this area did not change due to these people and the environment caused the most damage to them. They say that they are surprised by how serious these effects are.

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People adapting to the climate

Research co-author Parry says that the people of this area are changing themselves according to climate change. They say that but it is not a solution. 

According to Parry, "The rising level of the river and heavy rains are proving more powerful than the ability of the people living here to change."

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