Publications
Prenatal ambient heat exposure and neurodevelopment: A scoping review of human and animal research
Amina Rhaman, Danielle J. Russell, Leaf R. Kardol, Ebony Quintrell, Shannon Morgan, Candra Maung, Azmain Talukder, Aster Gebremedhin, Stephanie Tan, Ramya Padmavathy Radha Krishnan , Erin Kelty, Caitlin Wyrwoll
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114741
This scoping review examines the relationship between prenatal ambient heat exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in both human and animal studies .
The impact of heatwaves on maternal, neonatal and child health outcomes in Western Australian climate zones: A protocol paper
Erin Kelty, Aster Gebremedhin, Kerrie Mengersen, Shane K Maloney, Peter Le Souef, Michael Kearney, Alexander Larcombe, Amina Rhaman, Melinda Judge, Aiden Price, Kristoffer Wild, Sotiris Vardoulakis & Caitlin Wyrwoll
https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.25022.1
“Our research aims to examine how exposure to heatwaves in pregnancy can impact the health of the mother and her child. It will do this by identifying babies born in Western Australia between 1991 and 2023 and using climate data to determine if they were exposed to a heatwave during pregnancy. Health records will then be used to compare the health of exposed and non-exposed mothers and babies. This information will help us understand how climate change if impacting pregnancy. “
Hot weather, maternal health, and pregnancy experiences, impacts and responses: A systematic review of global qualitative research
Frances Grimshaw, Rishu Thakur, Aster Gebremedhin, Veronica Matthews, Brad Farrant, Carrington Shepherd, Christine Phillips, Caitlin Wyrwoll, Supriya Mathew
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102152
Extreme heat poses a growing global threat to public health, with pregnant people particularly vulnerable to its impacts. This qualitative review synthesised evidence from multiple international studies and found that extreme heat can significantly affect maternal health, while adaptation strategies during pregnancy are poorly documented and vary widely across cultural and socio‑economic contexts. Three key themes emerged: heat‑related health impacts, the strategies pregnant people use to cope, and the environmental, cultural, and economic factors that shape their ability to adapt. The findings highlight the urgent need for culturally informed, context‑specific public health guidance to better support pregnant people in hot weather. Increased community and healthcare education, along with more research capturing real‑world pregnancy experiences in extreme heat, will be vital as the climate continues to warm.
RISING STARS: The heat is on: how does heat exposure cause pregnancy complications?
Caitlin S Wyrwoll
https://doi.org/10.1530/JOE-23-0030
“Globally, pregnant people will be increasingly exposed to heatwaves, and with this comes significant adverse individual and societal impact. The consideration of pregnancy as a time in the life course more at risk of the adverse effects of heat is relatively recent, and general knowledge on health protective behaviours during heatwaves when pregnant is limited. The populations most likely at risk of heat exposure already have high rates of pregnancy-related complications and chronic conditions and as global temperatures increase, the health risks during pregnancy will likely compound. Health impacts from heat in pregnancy are largely preventable through strategic interventions to facilitate cooling behaviours (improved housing and workplaces, fluid availability, and activity guidelines). However, for clinical practice, public health, and policy to be effective, addressing the gaps in evidence and understanding urgently needs to be prioritised.”