Effects of prenatal maternal stress on birth outcomes following tropical cyclone Yasi in Queensland, Australia (2011)

Parayiwa, Cynthia; Behie, Alison

doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2018.02.005

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similarly, birth weight and gestational age at birth are negatively affected following maternal exposure to terrorist attacks 61 – 64 and natural disasters, for example following Cyclone Yasi in 2011, 65 Hurricane Katrina in 2005, 66 and the Quebec Ice Storm in 1998. 67 , 68 Natural disasters such as earthquakes have also affected birth weight and length of gestation, with some studies reporting sex-specific differences in results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birth Outcomes, Health, and Health Care Needs of Childbearing Women following Wildfire Disasters: An Integrative, State-of-the-Science Review

Evans

Bansal

Schoenaker

et al. 2022

Environ Health Perspect

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as wildfires are expected to increase due to climate change. Childbearing women, that is, women who are pregnant, soon to be pregnant, or have recently given birth, may be particularly vulnerable to the effect of wildfire exposure. Objectives: This review sought to systematically assess what is known about birth outcomes, health, and health care needs of childbearing women during and after exposure to wildfires. Methods: An integrative review methodology was utilized to enable article selection, data extraction, and synthesis across qualitative and quantitative studies. Comprehensive searches of SCOPUS (including MEDLINE and Embase), CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar identified studies for inclusion with no date restriction. Included studies were independently appraised by two reviewers using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. The findings are summarized and illustrated in tables. Results: Database searches identified 480 records. Following title, abstract, and full text screening, sixteen studies published between 2012 and 2022 were identified for this review. Eleven studies considered an association between in utero exposure to wildfire and impacts on birth weight and length of gestation. One study reported increased rates of maternal gestational diabetes mellitus and gestational hypertension following exposure; whereas one study reported differences in the secondary sex ratio. Two studies reported higher incidence of birth defects following in utero exposure to wildfire smoke. Three studies reported increased mental health morbidity, and one study associated a reduction in breastfeeding among women who evacuated from a wildfire disaster. Discussion: Evidence indicates that wildfire exposure may be associated with changes to birth outcomes and increased morbidity for childbearing women and their babies. These effects may be profound and have long-term and wide-ranging public health implications. This research can inform the development of effective clinical and public health strategies to address the needs of childbearing women exposed to wildfire disaster. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10544

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birth Outcomes, Health, and Health Care Needs of Childbearing Women following Wildfire Disasters: An Integrative, State-of-the-Science Review

Evans

Bansal

Schoenaker

et al. 2022

Environ Health Perspect

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The women in our study revealed that they were concerned about the impact of stress on the fetus and on their transition to parenthood. Anticipating hurricane-related stress and providing key mental health supports is critical because stress following maternal hurricane exposure has been linked to preterm birth [ 8 , 9 , 15 ], postpartum depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms [ 16 ]. Although the perspectives shared in this study primarily focused on stress in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes, there is evidence that maternal hurricane exposure is associated with stress, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms extending as many as 5 to 7 years after hurricanes [ 20 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the most severe hurricanes are projected to grow in severity and frequency due to climate change [ 5 ], understanding these risks becomes increasingly important. Studies of hurricanes in the United States and Australia have shown that exposure to a hurricane is associated with no, late or inadequate prenatal care [ 6 , 7 ], preterm birth [ 8 – 10 ], and increased rates of cesarean Sects. [ 6 , 11 , 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of pregnant women exposed to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the US Virgin Islands: a qualitative study

Jeffers

Wilson

Tappis

et al. 2022

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Hurricanes Irma and Maria made landfall in the US Virgin Islands (USVI) in 2017. To date, there is no published literature available on the experiences of pregnant women in the USVI exposed to these hurricanes. Understanding how hurricanes affect pregnant women is key to developing and executing targeted hurricane preparedness and response policies. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of pregnancy and birth among women in the USVI exposed to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Methods We employed a qualitative descriptive methodology to guide sampling, data collection, and analysis. Semi-structured interviews of 30–60 min in length were conducted with a purposive sample of women (N = 18) in the USVI who were pregnant during or became pregnant within two months after the hurricanes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data managed in MAXQDA. Team members developed a codebook, applied codes for content, and reconciled discrepancies. We thematically categorized text according to a socioecological conceptual framework of risk and resilience for maternal-neonatal health following hurricane exposure. Results Women’s experiences were organized into two main categories (risk and resilience). We identified the following themes related to risk at 3 socioecological levels including: (1) individual: changes in food access (We had to go without) and stress (I was supposed to be relaxing); (2) household/community: diminished psychosocial support (Everyone was dealing with their own things) and the presence of physical/environmental hazards (I was really scared); and (3) maternity system: compromised care capacity (The hospital was condemned). The themes related to resilience included: (1) individual: personal coping strategies (Being calm); (2) household/community: mutual psychosocial and tangible support (We shared our resources); and (3) the maternity system: continuity of high-quality care (On top of their game). Conclusions A socioecological approach provides a useful framework to understand how risk and resilience influence the experience of maternal hurricane exposure. As the frequency of the most intense hurricanes is expected to increase, clinicians, governments, and health systems should work collaboratively to implement hurricane preparedness and response plans that address pregnant women’s unique needs and promote optimal maternal-infant health.

show abstract

“…Exposure to natural disasters is known to cause an increase in stress, particularly in vulnerable groups such as pregnant women who already have hormonal systems under constant flux. This has negative consequences for birth outcomes and maternal/child health, such as low birthweight, defined as weighing less than 2500 g at birth, and higher incidence of preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation, following fires (O'Donnell & Behie, 2013), floods (Sanguanklin et al, 2014; Tong et al, 2011), earthquakes (Palmeiro‐Silva et al, 2018; Tan et al, 2009), cyclones and hurricanes (Parayiwa & Behie, 2018; Xiong et al, 2008), and ice storms (Auger et al, 2011). Many of these adverse birth outcomes are associated with increased morbidity and mortality throughout childhood and adolescence (McIntire et al, 1999) and low birthweight is a known predictor of poor infant health in the first year of life (Mace, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnancy outcomes among evacuees of the Sinabung volcano, 2010–2018 (North Sumatra, Indonesia): A matched cohort study

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives Exposure to natural disasters during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes and increased probability of female births. Nonetheless, relatively little work has been done on evacuations of women living in close vicinity to volcanic eruptions. We conducted a retrospective cohort study among women from villages near the Sinabung volcano in North Sumatra, Indonesia, which has been active since 2010. Methods We compared an “exposed” sample of women (n = 97) who were pregnant when forced to evacuate their villages due to the volcanic eruptions and an “unexposed” sample of non‐evacuees (n = 97) matched for age and year of child's birth. We collected anthropometric data (height and weight of each woman) and conducted structured interviews about pregnancy outcomes and evacuation‐related stress. Results Evacuation led to an almost five‐fold increase in the adjusted odds of having an early or preterm birth in non‐imputed (OR = 4.84, 95% CI: 1.31–17.92) and multiply imputed (OR = 4.84, 95% CI: 1.29–19.19) analyses. It also led to approximately a 1 cm decrease in birth length in the non‐imputed (β = −1.10, 95% CI: −1.96–0.24) and multiply imputed (β = −1.17, 95% CI: −1.20–0.36) analyses, both including controls for confounders. We found decreasing birth length with increasing stress among evacuees. There was no discernible effect of evacuation or stress on the other outcomes. Conclusions Both adverse effects we documented can exert negative influences on later‐in‐life outcomes for children of women pregnant during evacuation. This should be considered when developing protocols for supporting women and connecting them with clinical resources when evacuated from natural disasters.

show abstract

Effects of prenatal maternal stress on birth outcomes following tropical cyclone Yasi in Queensland, Australia (2011)

Cited by 13 publications

References 37 publications

Birth Outcomes, Health, and Health Care Needs of Childbearing Women following Wildfire Disasters: An Integrative, State-of-the-Science Review

Birth Outcomes, Health, and Health Care Needs of Childbearing Women following Wildfire Disasters: An Integrative, State-of-the-Science Review

Experiences of pregnant women exposed to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the US Virgin Islands: a qualitative study

Pregnancy outcomes among evacuees of the Sinabung volcano, 2010–2018 (North Sumatra, Indonesia): A matched cohort study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About