Study: Heat stress during pregnancy affects development

Babies are more likely to be born at low birth weight when a pregnant mother’s average daily heat stress rises during the first trimester, according to a study published in the Lancet Planetary Journal. In addition, the research found infants at age 1 regularly exposed to an average of 86-degree temperatures were more likely to weigh less for their height and age than those exposed to an average temperature of 77 degrees. The researchers speculate heat stress may affect appetite, food intake and availability, as well as possibly cellular and inflammatory pathways. The study comprised 668 infants and their mothers living in Gambia between January 2010 and February 2015. (HealthDay article, 10/9/24)