The Study
Extreme heat exposure in pregnancy has been associated with a range of complications, including preterm birth, stillbirth, small babies, miscarriage, and an increased severity of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. However, we don’t know who is most at risk, what climate conditions increase risk, or why extreme heat causes these pregnancy complications.
The EHPC study endeavours to bring together people’s lived experiences, data on heat exposure and pregnancy complications from a wide range of climate zones, and experimental scientists who investigate the mechanisms involved. This multifaceted approach to our research is guided by a Communities of Practice, which is a group of community members and other stakeholders, such as practising doctors, who all share an interest in improving pregnancy and baby health outcomes.
The study aims can be divided into three main topics:
Aim 1: People’s lived experiences of heat exposure and pregnancy
Aim 2: Using large historic datasets to compare weather and pregnancy outcomes
Aim 3: Investigating how the pregnant body responds to heat exposure.
Our Goal
Working with community members and other stakeholders, we will co-design approaches to minimise the adverse effects of extreme heat in pregnancy. This will include education for individuals, health organisations and health care workers, identification of clinical applications and new public health and policy approaches so that we can all be better prepared for, prevent, and respond to the problems caused by exposure to extreme heat in pregnancy.
Communities of Practice and Aboriginal Steering Group
The HEAL Network WA Aboriginal Steering Group guides EHPC, chaired by Dr Aunty Mara West. This ensures project outputs and outcomes are relevant and align with Indigenous data sovereignty and governance principles.
EHPC works alongside established HEAL Communities of Practice (CoPs) focused on climate change and health. These CoPs include Aboriginal Elders and community members, members of the public, medical and health professionals and other service providers, policymakers, and government representatives.
EHPC has committed to co-design and co-produce the study outputs with communities, practitioners, services and policy makers. Co-creation provides a strong foundation to address real-world needs and experiences of pregnant people, improving the relevance of the study outcomes, and enhancing how community needs are met.
Aim 1: Lived Experience
In Aim 1, we conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with different groups around Australia (see map below). The discussion will focus on different perspectives on exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy, the impacts of heat on physical and mental health, and the ability to keep cool and protect baby. Established wisdom will be sought on how to live in harmony with the environment during extreme heat.
Aim 2: Environmental Epidemiology
For Aim 2 we will conduct the first Australia-wide study using health data collected by hospitals to assess the effects of climate factors (such as heat, humidity, wind) on health outcomes in pregnancy. This will allow us to see if there are patterns in pregnancy complications as the weather changes and if different populations (eg. Perth vs. Darwin) are affected differently.
Aim 3: Biological Factors
Aim 3 looks to understand how the body responds to heat in pregnancy. We will be investigating whether heat affects the mother’s and baby’s heart rate, how blood flows to the baby, and whether there are changes in the body that could mean the baby is at risk of being born early. In Perth and Darwin, we will also be asking people who are pregnant if they are willing to provide a swab from their vagina that they take themselves during a heat wave. This is because there are naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina that can cause preterm birth. There is some evidence to suggest that heat affects this bacteria. These participants will also be carrying a heat logger with them for a few months, which will record the temperatures they are being exposed to.