{
  "id": 12048783,
  "title": "Extreme heat putting pregnant women, newborns at risk, says UN climate chief",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/extreme-heat-putting-pregnant-women-newborns-at-risk-says-un-climate",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-05T01:32:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/extreme-heat-putting-pregnant-women-newborns-at-risk-says-un-climate-chief-101791163937974.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell warned that extreme heat is turning pregnancy and childbirth into a \"new faultline\" in the global climate crisis, with potentially fatal consequences. A survey of 1,000 maternal health professionals in Australia, Brazil, India, the UK, and Zimbabwe revealed that 73% of respondents reported an increase in heat-linked cases or complications over the past five years. More than 98% of respondents have cared for pregnant women affected by extreme heat, and 99% have cared for affected babies. Nearly 81% of the professionals are concerned about heat increasingly posing risks to maternal, fetal, and newborn health without more action. Stiell emphasized that extreme heat during pregnancy can lead to premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, and maternal complications, and that newborns are at risk as well. He stressed the need for countries to incorporate pregnancy and newborn care into adaptation and heat planning, establish heat alerts and training, and ensure safer facilities. The survey also found that tripling adaptation finance, as agreed at COP30 in Brazil, is crucial. Without it, the climate crisis could exacerbate existing injustices, widening the gap between those with access to care and those who do not.",
  "summary": "73% of maternal health professionals, including those in India, reported a rise in heat-linked cases or complications over the past five years",
  "key_points": [
    "Extreme heat exacerbating risks for pregnant women and newborns",
    "73% of maternal health professionals report increase in heat-linked cases",
    "Triple adaptation finance crucial to mitigate climate crisis impacts"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The warning highlights the need for urgent action to protect vulnerable populations, with health professionals calling for increased preparedness and financing to mitigate the effects of extreme heat on maternal and newborn health.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}