[Pregnant Women, Fetuses, and Infants Linked to Certain Health Effects after Heatwave: an Absolute and Relative Concept].

An increasing number of people have been suffering from abnormal weather caused by climate change and the health effect is more prominent in vulnerable population such as pregnant women, infants, and the elderly. To minimize these impacts, there is a need for focused research on climate change and its health effects targeting vulnerable populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of extreme ambient high temperature during pregnancy and birth outcomes such as stillbirth, low birth weight, fast weight gain in babies and preterm birth using the absolute and relative definition of heatwave. We first reviewed national and international literature related to heatwave alerts. Then, we investigated the association between exposure to high temperature during pregnant and health outcome of pregnant women, infants, and fetuses and compared the estimates by altering the thresholds of heatwave definition. Main findings regarding the impact of ambient high temperature on the health of pregnant women, infants, and fetuses were presented to determine the significant effects on their development. The results showed that exposure to high temperatures and various heat index values had a significant impact on the health of pregnant women. Additionally, the study investigated an association between high temperature and health effects on infants and toddlers under the age of 5, including diseases such as heat-related illnesses, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and pneumonia, correlating with various heat indicators. This research provides the groundwork for further research on the health implications of ambient higher temperatures on pregnant women, infants, and fetuses.