Climate change poses a serious threat to public health, with pregnant women and newborns being particularly vulnerable to high temperatures.

A two-day workshop was held at the University of Thessaly as part of the European HIGH Horizons project, focusing on monitoring the effects of climate change on maternal and infant health.

Exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy is linked to increased risks such as premature birth and stillbirth.

The workshop presented research data and best practices, highlighting the need to strengthen prevention efforts and awareness.

Addressing these impacts requires coordinated actions, interdisciplinary approaches, and collaboration among stakeholders.

Climate Change: A Growing Threat to Vulnerable Populations

Climate change is recognized as one of the gravest global public health threats, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable groups. Pregnant women and newborns face heightened risks due to increased exposure to extreme heat, which is associated with serious pregnancy complications.

Despite solid evidence of these impacts, important gaps in knowledge remain—particularly regarding risk quantification, critical vulnerability periods, and underlying biological mechanisms. This highlights the urgent need for interdisciplinary cooperation and the application of scientific knowledge to develop effective health protection policies for mothers and infants in a changing climate.

The HIGH Horizons Workshop

The two-day event focused on selecting appropriate indicators to monitor climate change effects on health, especially related to pregnant women and infants’ exposure to high temperatures.

Organized by the University of Thessaly under the European HIGH Horizons project, the workshop was supported by the Ministry of Health and collaborated with the National Public Health Organization (EODY). Participants included experts from academia, public health institutions, and international organizations.

The European Union has funded six research programs under the Climate-Health Cluster, including HIGH Horizons. The workshop was followed by the annual partner meeting in Athens.

Health Risks from High Temperatures

Professor Barbara Mouchtouri of the University of Thessaly, involved in the HIGH Horizons project, explained that her team is conducting a prospective birth cohort study to better understand the biological pathways through which heat exposure affects the health of pregnant women, newborns, and infants.

She noted that high temperatures during pregnancy are linked to risks including premature birth, stillbirth, small-for-gestational-age newborns, gestational diabetes, premature rupture of membranes, and hypertensive and cardiovascular complications during pregnancy.

Despite these documented findings, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding risk levels, vulnerability windows, and biological pathways.

Workshop Findings and Recommendations

The meeting featured research findings and best practices from Greece and abroad, including measures such as adequate hydration, avoiding heat exposure, wearing light clothing, and adjusting daily activities. Building-level interventions like proper ventilation, shading, thermal insulation, and access to cool spaces were also discussed.

A consensus emerged on the importance of enhancing prevention, informing healthcare professionals, and raising public awareness.

The Importance of Prevention and Protecting Vulnerable Groups

EODY President Professor Christos Chatzichristodoulou stressed that climate change is one of the biggest public health challenges, disproportionately impacting vulnerable groups. He highlighted EODY’s role in data collection and analysis to support evidence-based health policies.

Ministry of Health official Fotini Koulouri emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration and the use of scientific evidence to address climate change impacts on maternal and infant health.

HIGH Horizons coordinator Professor Stanley Luchters described the event as a platform to seek solutions for monitoring adverse health effects of rising outdoor temperatures on pregnant and postpartum women and their children. The project pilots community and healthcare interventions to protect these groups from increasing heat and heatwaves worldwide.

Global Relevance and Scientific Collaboration

The workshop brought together policymakers, meteorological experts, and scientists from Europe and Africa, spanning health sciences, climate science, epidemiology, social sciences, data science, and more.

Pediatric Professor Vana Papaevangelou reviewed data on maternal and child health care and perinatal epidemiological indicators.

Representatives from the Ministries of Health and Labor, the National Observatory of Athens, the National Meteorological Service, and other scientific and institutional bodies also participated. The critical role of gynecology, neonatology, and pediatrics experts in addressing climate change effects on maternal and child health was emphasized.

Closing Remarks

Professor Georgios Mitsiakos, President of the Hellenic Neonatology Society, underscored the program’s focus on prevention and protection of the most vulnerable populations—pregnant women and newborns—from climate change impacts. He called for scientific knowledge to serve public health and social responsibility.

Dr. Breda from the WHO office in Greece greeted the workshop, while Anayda Portela from WHO highlighted the HIGH Horizons project’s importance for Greece and its contribution to global public health. She noted growing evidence of heat exposure’s effects on maternal and child health and the global nature of the problem. The workshop’s findings will inform worldwide efforts and policies.

Consensus

Participants agreed that tackling climate change’s effects on maternal and child health requires coordinated actions, interdisciplinary approaches, and close cooperation between scientific and institutional stakeholders. Continued research and application of HIGH Horizons results in public health policy planning were emphasized.