An Emory University study, published Friday by Advances in Scienceprovides the first evidence that exposure to higher temperatures during pregnancy is associated with specific biological changes in mothers that are also associated with preterm birth.
A team of researchers from Emory University’s School of Public Health and Rollins School of Medicine conducted a new molecular analysis of blood samples from 215 pregnant women living in metropolitan Atlanta whose pregnancies ended in either full-term or preterm birth (birth before 37 weeks’ gestation) and then matched the mother’s address with maximum ambient temperature.
This first-of-its-kind analysis found that several natural substances, including methionine, proline, citrulline and pipecolate, are disrupted when temperatures are higher. These amino acids and vitamins play a key role in managing stress and energy in the body, suggesting that heat-related biological strain may increase the risk of preterm birth.
Previous scientific evidence suggests that warmer weather affects biological factors such as oxidative stress, heart and vascular problems, inflammation and premature rupture of membranes. However, this was the first study to identify the potential molecules and pathways associated with heat and preterm birth outcomes.
As temperatures have risen, we’ve seen an increased association between more babies being born prematurely since the weather has been warmer, but scientists still don’t know exactly what’s happening in the body – and we really need to understand this to develop effective ways to protect mothers and babies.”
Donghai Liang, PhD, lead author of the study, associate professor of environmental health at Rollins
“We used innovative metabolic technology to specifically focus on small molecules, or ‘molecular fingerprints’ as we call them, and learned for the first time that when the weather was warmer, mothers’ blood showed some measurable changes in several important molecules and pathways that manage how the body deals with stress or makes energy.
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 common metabolic pathways between higher temperatures and preterm births, this study could open the door to the development of early biomarkers that could help identify higher-risk pregnancies and potentially inform prevention strategies or clinical interventions to support healthier pregnancies,” says Liang.
