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Extreme heat is associated with serious risks for pregnant women and newborns, including hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. The UN climate chief was reported as expected to warn about these dangers at a pre-COP summit in Fiji on October 5, 2026, but the available report does not confirm that he delivered the remarks. The health risks themselves are supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), though association does not prove that heat caused an outcome in an individual pregnancy.

What did the UN climate chief warn about?

On October 5, 2026, the Associated Press affiliate CNA reported that Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was expected to warn at a pre-COP summit in Nadi, Fiji, that rising temperatures are increasing danger during pregnancy. CNA attributed to him a warning linking climate-driven extreme heat with premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight and maternal complications. The available account frames these as expected remarks, not a confirmed transcript or recording, so they should not be treated as verified words delivered at the event. CNA’s report

The health concern is broader than any one speech. WHO says climate hazards, including extreme heat, are associated with higher risks of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. That is a population-level association, not proof that heat caused a particular person’s complication or that every pregnancy is affected in the same way. WHO’s 2023 call to action

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How can hot weather affect pregnancy?

WHO identifies gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders among the complications associated with climate hazards, alongside outcomes affecting birth and newborn health. Climate-related exposures and their aftermath may also affect mental health. How heat affects people depends in part on its frequency, intensity and duration; risks can be greater for people facing socioeconomic vulnerability, including limited access to cooling. WHO Europe’s pregnancy guidance WHO’s call to action

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These findings describe increased risks and associations. They do not establish that every hot day produces a complication, nor do they replace individual clinical assessment. Pregnant people concerned about symptoms or their health should contact a qualified healthcare professional.

What do healthcare professionals report seeing?

Wellcome’s campaign page reports a September 2026 Censuswide survey of 1,000 currently practicing healthcare professionals, including 250 midwives, in the UK, India, Australia, Brazil and Zimbabwe. Its figures reflect what respondents said they had experienced or perceived; they are not population-level estimates of how often heat causes clinical complications. Wellcome’s survey results

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Survey response Share of respondents
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Had cared for a baby they believed was adversely affected by extreme heat 99%
Reported an increase in maternal heat-related cases or complications 73%
Reported an increase in cases or complications affecting fetal or newborn health in the past five years 76%
Wanted more training and resources to protect pregnant women during extreme heat 92%

Each percentage is a report of surveyed practitioners’ experience or view, not a measured incidence rate among pregnant people or babies. The figures can indicate that clinicians are encountering a concern and want more support; they cannot by themselves quantify the risk to an individual pregnancy.

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Can extreme heat affect an unborn baby?

WHO includes preterm birth, low birth weight and stillbirth among adverse perinatal outcomes associated with climate hazards such as extreme heat. The survey also records practitioners’ reports of perceived effects on babies. Together, these sources support taking heat exposure seriously while keeping the evidence in perspective: neither a survey response nor an association demonstrates that heat caused a particular fetal or newborn outcome. Wellcome’s survey results WHO’s call to action

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What can pregnant women do to stay cool during a heatwave?

WHO Europe’s pregnancy-specific advice is to keep cool and hydrated, spend time in air-conditioned places when possible, and carry cloths that can be rinsed and used for cooling. Access varies, so practical steps depend on local conditions and what a person can safely and affordably use. WHO Europe’s guidance

WHO’s broader heat-health advice recommends using cooler night air to cool the home, blocking direct sunlight during hotter daytime conditions, and using cool showers or damp cloths. Electric fans should be used only when the temperature is below 40°C; this is general heat advice, not a pregnancy-specific treatment or a substitute for reducing heat exposure. WHO’s 2026 heat fact sheet

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  • When possible, move to an air-conditioned place during extreme heat.
  • Use rinsable damp cloths or a cool shower to help cool the body.
  • Reduce indoor heat by blocking direct sunlight during hot daytime hours and making use of cooler night air.
  • Use an electric fan only below 40°C, following WHO’s general guidance.
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Why are pregnant women and newborns at risk in extreme heat?

Heat exposure can create health risks during pregnancy and around birth, while a person’s ability to avoid or recover from heat depends partly on their circumstances. WHO Europe highlights the importance of heat’s frequency, intensity and duration, and notes particular concern where people are socioeconomically vulnerable. Access to cooling, safe housing and time away from outdoor work can shape how feasible protective measures are. WHO Europe’s pregnancy guidance

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Preparedness also depends on knowing when local conditions are dangerous and how to reach those most at risk. WHO’s 2024 monitoring report discusses developing indicators for heat impacts on maternal, newborn and child health, and building consensus on heat-health warning thresholds tailored to pregnant and postpartum women, newborns and infants. Those tailored indicators and thresholds are described as work in development, not as a finalized global standard. WHO’s monitoring report

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