How do extreme weather conditions impact maternal health in low-income and middle-income countries?

In a recent study published in BMJ Open , researchers assessed how the disruption of infrastructure and decreased access to health and medical services due to extreme weather events impact maternal health in resource-poor regions in low- and middle-income countries. The review revealed that the findings on the subject were limited, and the mechanisms through which extreme weather events impact maternal health in low-income regions need to be studied extensively. Study: Extreme weather events and maternal health in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review .

Image Credit: Nelson Antoine/Shutterstock.com The World Health Organization (WHO) defines maternal health as women's mental and physical health through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods. Optimal maternal health is intricately linked to the health of the infant.

However, despite the reduction in maternal mortality being a target of one of the sustainable development goals established by the United Nations, poor maternal health consists of many other facets than mortality alone. Some forms of poor maternal health that also impact the health of the infant include high blood pressure, infection, and obstruction during labor. Mental health issues such as increased stress in the mother have been linked to spontaneous abortions, as well as low birth weight and developmental problems in the infant.

Maternal health can also be impacted by environmental conditions, such as extreme weather events that damag.