Did you know heatwaves can affect periods and impact your pregnancy? Here's why

India’s climate report card is a certified mood killer. From January to April 2023, we experienced 84 days of extreme weather events, including hailstorms, heat and cold waves, floods, heavy rains and landslides, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Last year, India recorded its hottest day with temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees Celsius in western Rajasthan, and now the Indian Meteorolgical Department is predicting a hotter-than-usual summer from April to June.

And while climate change affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally.

As per the UN, women face higher risks and greater burdens due to their biology, responsibilities and cultural norms. It can take a toll on their physical, mental and reproductive health. In India, the impact of heatwaves is severe on pregnant and menopausal women.

“Hot and humid weather can cause menstruation to become longer and more frequent. Pregnant women may experience fatigue and become susceptible to allergies and infections,” says Dr Preethika Shetty, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Pune.

Take this year’s heatwave in India, for example. Temperatures are expected to cross 40 degrees Celsius in most parts of India.

For Tanni Sinha, a 20-year-old student at Lucknow University, it meant getting her period twice a month. They would also last for more than a week, and the cramping was so intense that she was popping painkillers like candy. “The doctor said it would stop once temperatures came down, but I ended up missing nearly 15 days of college because of it,” she says.

Heat stress, brought on by very hot days, can be especially harmful to pregnant and menopausal women. Extreme heatwaves increase instances of stillbirth, because women have a harder time regulating their body temperature.

When temperatures in New Delhi soared above 47 degrees Celsius in 2023, Afsana Shaikh (32) struggled with nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. The diagnosis was extreme dehydration, a dangerous condition for someone nearly nine months pregnant.

Impact of heatwaves on women from marginalised communities

Experts have analysed that extreme weather events, brought on by climate change, worsen gender inequalities and disrupt access to reproductive healthcare for women. It increases the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm delivery, congenital defects, gestational hypertension, and low birth weight.

According to Dr Vikas Kaushal of Bal Raksha Bharat, an NGO that advocates for women’s health, giving birth in the period following climate-led disasters enhances the risk of complications, including preeclampsia. “Women are more likely to be affected by vector-borne diseases, as climate change influences the distribution and abundance of vectors. Pregnant women, in fact, are three times more likely to develop severe malaria than even non-pregnant women,” says Dr Kaushal.

Since heatwaves impact crops and change their nutritional value, it affects women, especially those from low-income households, who are more likely to suffer from macro and micronutrient deficiencies.

For Suman Jha, it meant a premature baby and having to quit her job to look after him. “Even after we took Sameer home, he would fall ill often. My employers got fed up with me taking leave and found a replacement,” says the 38-year-old, who worked as a maid in Gurugram.

Impact on elderly women

Heatwaves don’t allow the body to cool down, which is just as important for the body. More so for the elderly.

“The elderly sweat much less than youngsters, and women much less than men. Which means older women have the lowest ability to lose heat from their bodies,” says Vidya Jha, Lucknow-based private gynaecologist.

Inability to cool down body temperature can lead to a range of health problems, including fatigue, skin irritation, anxiety, acne, allergies, heat stroke, and asthma. Women are also more likely to experience migraines and headaches during these times.

What can be done to mitigate the impact of heatwaves

Besides eating a well-balanced diet, staying hydrated (#teamaampanna) and maintaining hygiene, experts suggest keeping an eye on physical symptoms such as breathing difficulties, dizziness, runny nose, congestion, skin rashes, cough, sinus, and itchy and watery eyes. An increase in headaches, blood pressure levels, or blood sugar levels can hint at stress.

“Neglecting treatment can land you in trouble. It is essential to keep an eye on the abnormal changes occurring in your body and seek timely treatment,” says Dr Shetty.

Though women make up half the world’s population, there is little research on the impact of heatwaves on reproduction and menopause. Ironically, those who are worst affected by climate change are also the best resources to fight it. Women are essential to building climate resilience, from climate negotiations to boardrooms to forests and fields. Indigenous women, for instance, have invaluable knowledge and expertise that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Women are often the first responders to natural disasters, leaders in disaster risk reduction, and contribute to post-recovery efforts. By involving women in community planning and disaster response, we can build stronger, more resilient communities that are better equipped to face the challenges of climate change,” says the UNFCC.

What is needed now is to put these words into action.