Extreme Heat During Pregnancy

With 2024 as the hottest year on record and 2025 also a scorcher, the effects of extreme heat are felt by all of us but particularly those at higher risk, including pregnant women. Evidence on the consequences of extreme heat on maternal health and birth outcomes and the disproportionate burden of heat on communities of color and low-resourced communities is building. In this column, I review the research on the health effects of extreme heat; the need for systems-level mitigation strategies and the implications for research, policy, and practice. I conclude with information from professional organizations and the need for specific and actionable recommendations that address extreme heat. Note from theJOGNNEditors. The first column authored by Dr. Hawkins, "Cannabis Use During Pregnancy," appeared in the November 2022 issue of JOGNN. The current column is her last, and we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge her significant contributions. Her columns represent timely and relevant contributions to JOGNN and to the nursing literature. We thank her for this work and wish her the best in her future endeavors.