Effect of Environmental Heat Stress on Maternal, Fetal and Infant Health: A Cohort Study

Launched by AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY · May 2, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how high temperatures in the environment affect pregnant women and their babies. Researchers want to understand how being exposed to heat during pregnancy can lead to problems like low birth weight or premature birth. They will study pregnant women in rural Sindh, Pakistan, where it often gets very hot and there are limited cooling options. The trial aims to find out how heat stress impacts health across different stages of pregnancy and how various factors, such as a woman’s background and nutrition, might influence these effects.

To take part in the study, women need to be at least 18 years old, pregnant (less than 14 weeks along), and planning to give birth in the same district. Participants will visit a clinic for check-ups, where researchers will measure their height and weight, conduct ultrasounds, and collect blood samples. They will also wear a small device to track temperature and humidity around them. After the babies are born, the researchers will continue to monitor the health of both mothers and babies for up to a year to see how heat exposure during pregnancy affects their growth and well-being. This study does not involve any medications; it focuses on gathering information to help improve health strategies for pregnant women and their children in hot climates.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Single or multiple live pregnancy confirmed through ultrasound
• • Gestational age less than or equal to 13 weeks and 6 days at enrollment
• • At least 18 years of age
• • Permanent resident of the study district and plans to deliver within the district
• • Willing and able to attend study clinic visits and comply with study procedures throughout pregnancy
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • • Plan to relocate outside the district for more than 3 months during the study period