A U.N.-sponsored study has sounded the alarm on a “silent emergency” of preterm birth rates variously attributed to “climate change” amongst a host of other factors.
The report titled Born Too Soon: Decade of Action on Preterm Birth was produced by the combined efforts of the World Health Organisation (W.H.O.) andthe United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Overall, it finds preterm birth rates have not changed in any region in the world in the past decade, with 152 million vulnerable babies born too soon from 2010 to 2020.
The report highlights the impacts of conflict, coronavirus, and rising living costs as increasing risks for women and babies everywhere.
Climate change and consequent environmental damage are added to the possible threats to babies with India, China, and Pakistan pinpointed as the three main sites of dangerous preterm births.
The analysis comes as the earth’s population and its impact on birth rates and environment is again a subject of discussion.
The report points to air pollution in India, China, and Pakistan as impacting the climate while delivering attendant risks to expectant mothers and their expected children.
