DESCRIPTION OF TOPIC:
Climate change is making cities hotter, and that heat isn’t distributed equally. In some neighborhoods, temperatures can be several degrees higher due to a phenomenon called urban heat islands. For pregnant people, this is especially dangerous. Physiological changes during pregnancy make them more sensitive to heat stress, increasing the risk of serious complications like stillbirth, gestational hypertension, and placental abruption. My research focuses on northern Santiago, Chile, a densely populated urban area where heat waves are becoming more frequent. I analyzed more than 42,000 births from the largest public maternity hospital in the area. By combining clinical records, weather data, and satellite-derived temperature maps (LANDSAT 8), I’m investigating how exposure to extreme heat affects pregnancy outcomes, especially during the third trimester. This is the first study of its kind in Chile to explore heat’s impact on pregnancy using high-resolution temperature data and geolocation. While evidence from high-income countries shows strong links between heat and adverse pregnancy outcomes, very little is known about this relationship in Latin America—especially in socioeconomically vulnerable urban areas.

RELEVANCE TO MIDWIFERY:
This matters because midwives are often the primary—and sometimes only—providers of antenatal care in these communities. If we can identify when and where heat poses the highest risk, midwives and health systems can act: issuing heat alerts, tailoring prenatal care during heatwaves, and advocating for cooler, greener urban environments. As cities get hotter, midwifery must adapt. This research bridges climate science, epidemiology, and maternal health—placing midwives at the center of climate-resilient care because no one should lose a pregnancy because of the temperature outside. Place of birth - homebirth (including three-minute presentation competition)