Nexus between climate change and maternal mortality: a review of literature

Abstract

Climate change presents a significant threat to global health, with both immediate and long-term consequences, especially in low-income countries with limited adaptive capacity. Pregnant women, developing fetuses, and youth are among the most vulnerable populations, yet the specific risks they face remain underexplored. This literature review examines the impact of climate change on maternal mortality, focusing on both direct and indirect pathways. We analyzed peer-reviewed studies that address how climate-related events, such as severe droughts, water scarcity, wildfires, rising sea levels, frequent floods, melting polar ice caps, catastrophic storms, and biodiversity loss contribute to complications during pregnancy and childbirth. The evidence suggests that climate change can indirectly increase maternal health risks and mortality through social, economic, and psychological pathways, including inadequate sanitation, population shifts, disrupted healthcare access, malnutrition, and disease transmission. Our findings reveal a consistent pattern of heightened risk for maternal complications and mortality linked to climate-related events. We recommend conducting more country-specific and comprehensive studies to better understand these relationships and inform effective interventions. Policymakers should prioritize efforts to reduce maternal mortality and improve the health of expectant mothers and their newborns in the context of a changing climate.