Climate change is already a maternal and child health issue

Climate change is often discussed in terms of rising temperatures, floods, food shortages and environmental degradation. These are important concerns, but for public health professionals, the consequences are much more immediate. Climate change can affect whether a pregnant woman reaches a health facility in time, whether a newborn receives appropriate care, whether a child has enough nutritious food and whether a primary healthcare centre can continue providing essential services during extreme weather.

This is why climate change must be treated as a maternal, newborn and child health issue in Nigeria, not simply as an environmental concern. Its effects can intensify existing health risks, deepen inequalities and place additional pressure on a health system that is already struggling to provide consistent, quality care to every woman and child.

The evidence is becoming harder to ignore. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Nature Medicine in 2025 examined 198 studies from 66 countries and found that the odds of preterm birth increased by approximately four per cent for every 1°C increase in heat exposure. During heatwaves, the odds increased by 26 per cent. These are pooled international findings, not estimates specific to Nigeria, and the researchers noted differences across studies. Nevertheless, the findings strengthen the case for treating extreme heat as a serious concern for maternal and newborn health.

The implications are particularly important for countries where many pregnant women already face barriers to antenatal care, skilled delivery and emergency obstetric services. Heat exposure does not operate in isolation. Its effects may be compounded by poverty, inadequate housing, physically demanding work, limited access to clean water and health facilities that lack reliable electricity, cooling or adequate ventilation. A woman experiencing a high-risk pregnancy should not also have to contend with an overheated ward or an unreliable power supply when seeking care.

Evidence from Nigeria is also beginning to provide a clearer picture. A study published in Frontiers in Public Health in June 2026 analysed data from 27,783 mother and child pairs drawn from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and linked these data to geographical climate information. Higher daytime temperatures were associated with increased odds of childhood stunting, wasting, underweight and fever. The study also found associations between higher temperatures, greater postpartum distress and reduced access to maternal healthcare. Poverty and lower maternal education amplified some of these risks.

These findings require careful interpretation. The study was cross-sectional and identified associations, rather than proving that rising temperatures directly caused each outcome. Its climate exposure measures also do not establish the effect of every individual extreme weather event. However, the results are important because they draw attention to relationships between environmental conditions and maternal and child health outcomes in Nigeria using a large, nationally representative sample. They provide a strong reason to take climate-related risks seriously in health planning and to invest in further research and practical adaptation.

For children, the connection between climate and health extends beyond immediate illness. Heat, changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather can affect food production, household incomes, water availability and sanitation. When these pressures disrupt access to nutritious food, children who are already vulnerable to undernutrition may face greater risks. Flooding can contaminate water sources, damage sanitation facilities and interrupt essential services. Drought and prolonged periods of extreme heat can place additional pressure on livelihoods and household food security. The scale and effects of these disruptions vary by location, but the public health implications are clear enough to warrant attention.

The first 1,000 days, from conception to a child’s second birthday, are particularly important for growth and development. Maternal nutrition, access to antenatal care, safe delivery, breastfeeding, appropriate complementary feeding, immunisation and timely treatment of childhood illnesses all contribute to a child’s chances of surviving and thriving. Climate-related disruptions can affect several of these interventions at once. When a flood cuts off a community, for example, the concern is not only the immediate danger posed by the water. It is also whether pregnant women can reach skilled care, whether children can receive treatment and whether routine immunisation and nutrition services continue.

This is especially relevant in parts of Northern Nigeria, where distance, poverty, insecurity and shortages of health workers already make access to care difficult for many communities. Extreme weather can add another layer of difficulty. A damaged road or an impassable route may delay a woman in labour from reaching a facility. Such examples should not be taken to mean that every disruption is caused by climate change. Rather, they show why health systems need to plan for environmental hazards that may interrupt care, including floods, heatwaves and other locally relevant events.

Nigeria has already recognised the need to respond. The National Climate Change Policy 2021–2030 includes commitments to promote climate-resilient health facilities and infrastructure, deploy renewable energy in health facilities and support health systems to adopt climate-smart approaches. More recently, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare listed Nigeria’s Climate Change and Health National Adaptation Plan for 2025–2030 among its official policy resources.

This matters because the challenge is not simply to persuade policymakers that climate change affects health. National policy already recognises the connection. The more practical question is how consistently these commitments are being translated into state-level plans, health budgets, facility improvements and the day-to-day delivery of maternal, newborn and child health services. The existence of a policy is an important starting point, but its impact depends on implementation, funding, coordination and accountability. Without evidence of implementation and results, it would be premature to claim that these commitments are either being fully delivered or have failed.