In the Heat of Labour: How Pakistan’s expectant mothers battle heatwaves

In the Heat of Labour: How Pakistan’s expectant mothers battle heatwaves

New research from 2024 found that every 1°C rise in temperature, the risk of preterm birth increases by 4 per cent and that extreme heat exposure can increase the risk of preterm births by up to 26 per cent. For women living in overcrowded, poorly ventilated homes, that danger is not a future threat – it is a daily, stifling reality. In January, Samira, 29-year-old first-time expectant mother, gave birth prematurely at eight months. Her baby was…

Pakistan braces for 50°C heatwave as climate crisis threatens thousands of lives by 2050, says Daily Mail

While Pakistan is struggling with a severe heatwave, this week’s temperatures are forecast to reach 50°C—just shy of the global April record—while a sobering new report projects the growing menace climate change poses worldwide. A recent report by the UK’s independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) has described a grim picture of the immediate future, suggesting that extreme heat events may result in 11,000 premature deaths every year in Britain…