Exposure to hotter weather during pregnancy shows molecular changes in mothers connected to preterm delivery.
Higher temperatures during pregnancy are now linked to specific biological changes in mothers, the same molecular shifts that are associated with preterm birth.
Using blood samples from 215 pregnant women in metropolitan Atlanta, researchers analyzed molecular patterns in full-term and preterm pregnancies and matched these findings with maximum ambient temperatures recorded at each mother’s residential address.(1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Study Identifies Molecular Changes Associated with Hotter Weather and Preterm Birth
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Even a slight rise in #outdoor_temperature can alter a #pregnant woman’s stress and energy metabolites within hours, revealing how #heat may push risks for #preterm_birth.
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Biological Signatures of Heat Exposure in Pregnancy
This first-of-its-kind analysis found that several naturally occurring substances, such as methionine, proline, citrulline, and pipecolate, are disrupted when temperatures are higher. These amino acids and vitamins play key roles in managing stress and energy in the body, suggesting that heat-related biological strain may increase the risk of preterm delivery.
Previous scientific evidence suggested hotter weather impacted biological factors such as oxidative stress, heart and vascular issues, inflammation, and the premature rupture of membranes. However, this was the first study to pinpoint the potential molecules and pathways associated with heat and premature birth outcomes.
Molecular Fingerprints Linking Heat to Early Birth
“As temperatures have increased, we’ve observed an increased association between more babies being born preterm after the weather was hotter, but scientists still don’t know what exactly is happening in the body—and we really need to understand this to develop effective ways to protect mothers and babies,” says study lead author Donghai Liang, PhD, associate professor of environmental health at Rollins.
“We used the innovative metabolomic technology to specifically focus on the small molecules, or ‘molecular fingerprints’ as we call it, and learned for the first time that when the weather was hotter, the mothers’ blood shows some measurable changes in several important molecules and pathways that manage how the body deals with stress or makes energy. And these same kinds of changes were also seen in those mothers who gave birth prematurely.”
Heat-Driven Metabolic Disruption and Pregnancy Outcomes
Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant illness and death, but little is known about the biological reasons behind it, especially in relation to environmental stressors.
“By identifying these shared metabolic pathways between hotter temperatures and preterm births, this study could open the door to developing early biomarkers that could help identify pregnancies at higher risk and potentially inform prevention strategies or clinical interventions to support healthier pregnancies,” Liang says.
Reference:
- Study Identifies Molecular Changes Associated with Hotter Weather and Preterm Birth
– (https://sph.emory.edu/news/study-identifies-molecular-changes-associated-hotter-weather-and-preterm-birth)
Source-Emory University