This story is a collaboration between Vox and Grist and builds on Expecting worse: Giving birth on a planet in crisis, a project by Vox, Grist, and The19th that examines how climate change impacts reproductive health — from menstruation to conception to birth. Explore the full series here.
Climate change poses unique threats to some of the most foundational human experiences: giving birth and growing up. That’s the conclusion of a recent summary report compiled by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which shows that climate change is exposing tens of millions of women and children to a worsening slate of physical, mental, and social risks — particularly if they live in the poorest reaches of the globe.
Extreme heat, malnutrition linked to crop failures, and