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Yet while we often talk about climate change with the future of these children in mind, rarely do we consider the impact of the crisis now on the people who are giving birth to the generations who will inherit that world., climate change is making it even more dangerous to have a uterus.
A pregnant person’s immune system ratchets down during those crucial nine months so as not to reject the growing fetus, leaving the parent-to-be more susceptible to infectious diseases like malaria that increasingly have a climate component. Exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy increases the likelihood of preterm birth. Sea level rise can infuse drinking water with salt, which could lead to high blood pressure — a risk factor during pregnancy for premature birth and miscarriage.