The Impacts of Climate Change on Pregnant Women in Greece

Climate change has adverse and undesired impacts in human societies. Pregnant women belong to vulnerable groups in Greece which are harmfully affected from climate change. The effect of climate change on the health of pregnant women and newborn babies in Greece has been explored. Due to lack of studies in this topic in the country data from existing published research in other countries have been analyzed. Climate change causes many undesired and harmful impacts in Greece increasing the health risk in pregnant women. The undesired risks of pregnant women include miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth, endocrine dysfunction, difficulties in thermoregulation and increasing diseases. Additionally, they have increased risk of losing their property, crops and livestock while they have reduced access to healthcare, lower social support and probably mental health problems due to trauma. Our results indicate that several preventive measures should be developed to reduce the healthcare risk of pregnant women from extreme weather events in Greece while obstetricians and gynecologists should advise them about these risks and preventing measures. The current work could be useful to healthcare policy makers, to medicinal doctors looking after them as well as to pregnant women and their families.