Maternal health

Protecting women from pregnancy risks exacerbated by extreme heat

Led by Dr Isah Abubakar Aliyu at Bayero University Kano in Nigeria and Dr Khondoker Akram at the University of Sheffield in the UK

Preterm birth and low birth weight are major contributors to the early deaths of children under the age of five, with heat exposure during pregnancy significantly increasing the risks of these conditions. They are of particular concern in Africa, where many pregnant women continue their daily chores and agricultural work under extreme heat. Despite the known risks, the mechanisms explaining how heat exposure causes preterm birth and low birth weight are not yet fully understood.

That’s where Dr Isah Abubakar Aliyu at Bayero University Kano and Dr Khondoker Akram at the University of Sheffield come in. So far, their preliminary research in the UK has identified genetic changes in the placenta - linked to premature labour - which occur when pregnant women are exposed to heat.

With Foundation funding, the team will expand this research by analysing placenta and blood samples from pregnant women in both Nigeria and the UK. They will use advanced molecular techniques to investigate how heat exposure during the third trimester of pregnancy affects how the placenta works, and how this might contribute to preterm birth and low birth weight.

As well as enhancing our understanding of how heat exposure contributes to these conditions, the findings will also help to identify potential targets for new treatments and inform public health policies aimed at protecting maternal and foetal health.