Climate Change and Women's Health: How Environmental Stressors Affect Reproductive Well Being
New Delhi: Climate change is no longer just an environmental crisis; it’s a health emergency, particularly for women. Rising temperatures, air pollution, and extreme weather events are amplifying stressors that impact reproductive health, yet this remains an overlooked issue in India’s healthcare discourse.
The link between climate change and women’s reproductive health is not just hypothetical, emerging studies show clear correlations between environmental changes and worsening fertility outcomes.
Environmental stressors such as prolonged exposure to high temperatures, poor air quality, and limited access to clean water have been directly tied to irregular menstrual cycles, fertility challenges, and complications during pregnancy.
The impact is most severe for women in rural areas and low-income communities, where the effects of climate change are often amplified by limited access to healthcare and poor living conditions.
Dr Upasana Palo, Consultant in Gynaecologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery at Narayana Hospital RN Tagore Hospital, explains, “Rising temperatures and heat stress have an adverse effect on menstrual health and fertility. High temperatures can affect egg health and quality, cause hormonal irregularities, and impair ovulation and egg release.” She adds that air pollution also exacerbates fertility issues, affecting both male and female reproductive health. “It affects both the quality and quantity of eggs, impairs the quality of embryos, decreases implantation rates, and adversely affects sperm quality and motility.”
Studies show that prolonged heat exposure can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, reduced fertility, and pregnancy complications. Air pollution, another major consequence of climate change, has been linked to increased risks of miscarriage, preterm births, and hormonal imbalances.
Dr Palo observes, “Lately, there has been an increase in climate-related health concerns in Indian women. Climate change affects fertility and pregnancy outcomes, leading to increased rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and poorer maternal health.”
Dr Rajni Bagai, Senior Consultant in Gynaecology & Obstetrics at Narayana Hospital, Howrah & Chunavati, highlights the specific risks posed by air pollution: “Air pollution has been shown to adversely affect both fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Studies from IVF centres have shown lower success rates or increased numbers of unsuccessful cycles in areas with poor air quality.”
Pollutants like ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and PM2.5 are particularly harmful. Exposure to air pollutants in the first trimester has been linked to preterm birth, miscarriage, and pre-eclampsia, possibly due to oxidative stress and an inflammatory response to pollutants and particulate matter. “Particulate matter has even been found in the placenta, just as it is in the lungs,” adds Dr Bagai.
Both doctors emphasize the synergistic effect of heat and air pollution, where abnormal heat exacerbates air pollution levels. Dr Bagai further explains, “The pregnant body has a more difficult time maintaining thermoregulation, which can lead to complications. Heat exhaustion and fever have been shown to cause abnormalities and growth restrictions in the baby, as well as anaemia and pre-eclampsia in the mother. The most vulnerable time of exposure is often early in the hot season when the body has not yet adapted to the warmer temperatures.”
Recognizing this urgent intersection of climate change and women’s health, healthcare systems and policymakers must prioritize gender-responsive strategies.
Dr Bagai emphasizes the need for more awareness, “While no evidence has been found to directly link heat and pollution to gynaecological conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, or fibroids, heat strokes and exhaustion can exacerbate hormonal imbalances, worsening symptoms of these conditions.”
Investing in climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure, expanding awareness, and integrating environmental risk assessments into reproductive health programs can help mitigate these risks. As India navigates climate challenges, protecting women’s health must be a national priority because a healthier planet means a healthier future for all.