United States/Oregon: Wildfires threaten pregnancy | Human Rights Watch

• Air pollution and wildfire stress are increasing, posing particular risks to maternal health, but Oregon’s experience suggests public health officials are not doing enough to get important health risk information to pregnant women.
• It is critical for state and federal governments to address environmental harms to pregnancy related to racism and inequities in income, housing quality, and safe work.
• Federal, state, and local governments should prioritize hard-hit communities and include them in The group plans together how to communicate this information to the people who can benefit most from it.

(Washington, D.C.) – Air pollution from wildfires is increasing, but Oregon’s experience shows that public health officials are not doing enough to provide education and resources to pregnant women, Human Rights Watch, an international human rights advocacy group, and Nurturely, an organization that promotes perinatal health equity, said today. Officials are not listening to the needs and experiences of pregnant women who are most at risk of being exposed to pollution, nor are they engaging trusted community health workers to provide localized, actionable advice.

The 78-page reportReproductive rights during the U.S. wildfire crisis: insights from an Oregon health workerThe report states that the U.S. government needs to do more to address the growing threat of wildfires to maternal and newborn health, especially in marginalized communities. The organizations documented the impacts of recent wildfires on maternal and newborn health in Oregon and drew on the experiences of community health workers and maternal care providers, among others.

“Pregnancy health and well-being in the United States is at risk, with deep and painful inequities across communities,” said Aver Yakubu, Nurturely Program Director. “We are in the midst of a climate crisis, and state and federal governments must address the impacts of environmental hazards on pregnancy that intersect with systemic racism, such as economic inequality, quality housing, and safe work environments that determine whether people can temporarily leave smoke zones.”

The number of wildfires, including increasingly large fires, hazardous smoke and extreme heat, is increasing, in part due to drier and hotter weather caused by climate change. Recently, fires close to populated areas have become more destructive, which is a result of predict Oregon health officials said in July that Oregon has hazardous levels of “particulate matter,” or PM2.5, PM2.5 from wildfire smoke is projected to increase one to three times by the end of the century. PM2.5 is linked to worse maternal and newborn health outcomes many Research.

Human Rights Watch and Cultivation More than 50 maternal health care providers in Oregon, a state severely affected by wildfires, including physicians, labor doulas, midwives, and community health workers, as well as public health officials and scientists, were interviewed.

The findings suggest that trusted community health workers, including midwives and birth attendants, are important but not adequately supported in providing information and protection strategies. They found that some communities have difficulty finding and using public health information, such as advice on when and how to use air filters during high-risk, low-air-quality wildfire smoke days. Pregnant women and other high-risk groups should be included in planning how to reach the groups who would benefit most from this information.

Wildfire exposure connect Adverse birth outcomes, such as premature birth, are also the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States and can cause lifelong physical and mental health damage. Increased in recent years In the United States, black mothers have twice the risk of low birth weight and infant mortality as white mothers. The climate crisis threatens maternal and newborn health in other ways. For example, studies on exposure to extreme heat have found that it is not only associated with Preterm birthbut also Stillbirthand maternal health complicationsone Recent Research found that wildfire exposure and extreme heat may have greater harmful effects on pregnancy. Other studies have also found that toxic chemicals in wildfire smoke are associated with maternal health problems, such as hypertension.

The groups said state and federal governments should take a reproductive justice approach to support services. Pregnant women, including those covered by public health insurance such as Medicaid, should have access to air filters and air conditioning units and, if needed, help leaving areas with poor air quality. Workplace safety rules should also be improved during periods of heat and smog.

“For middle-class people who speak English or Spanish, are already worried, know where to go for help, can afford air filters, and stay home on the days when air pollution is the worst, online advice about harmful air pollution is more accessible and actionable.” Skye WheelerSenior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The situation is very different for pregnant women who live in rented houses that leak smoke, live in tents, or have to work under smoke and high temperatures.”

The groups also found that during wildfires, maternal mental health was at risk and health care providers were adversely affected as they had to find ways to protect themselves, their families and their patients. Wildfires also meant pregnant women missed out on prenatal or postpartum care and were sometimes unable to give birth where they wanted.

Community midwifery care can provide Most of the world A community that provides culturally appropriate support and assistance to pregnant women and also works with Improved fertility outcomes. Research A group of maternal health organizations found that midwives are concerned about climate impacts, already provide some information and advice to clients, and want better resources to be able to do more. increasingly Providing Medicaid for midwifery care would increase the affordability of their services, but most still do not.

The United States also More needs to be done Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including beginning a fair and equitable phase-out of the fossil fuel industry, the groups said. The world’s largest Oil and gas producing countries account for the largest share (over one-third) of global oil and gas expansion plans to 2050.

“We cannot escape the health risks of wildfires without transitioning away from fossil fuels and petrochemical industries,” Yakub said. “But pregnant women should have equitable access to information about the dangers of wildfire smoke and what protective measures they can take for themselves and the next generation.”