Perinatal Health Care Among Climate Migrant Women: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Climate change-induced international migration has the potential to negatively impact the health and well-being of displaced populations. Pregnancy often serves as a point of entry into the health care system for migrant women; however, these women often face reduced access to maternal health care services compared to nonmigrants. In the context of climate-related international migration, these disparities may be further exacerbated, increasing the risk of maternal morbidity and adverse perinatal outcomes. While the intersections between climate change, migration, and health are increasingly acknowledged, literature specifically focused on international climate-related migrant women-particularly during the perinatal period-remains limited and dispersed. Thus, there is a growing need for research and synthesized data on climate change, population movements, and the perinatal health care needs of childbearing women.

The aim of this study is to examine and describe the scope and nature of available evidence on maternal health and care for international climate-related migrant women, from pregnancy through the postpartum period.

We will conduct a scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A tailored search strategy using key terms related to climate change, migration, women, and perinatal health care will be applied to four databases-Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Ovid MEDLINE-without restriction on publication date. Relevant gray literature sources will also be searched and considered for inclusion. Only literature published in English, French, Portuguese, or Spanish will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen full-text records based on predefined inclusion criteria and extract the relevant data.

A total of 741 studies were screened from 1113 records. Results summarizing perinatal health outcomes and needs, care experiences, barriers faced by international climate-related migrant women, and recommendations will be reported using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 flow diagram. We anticipate finalizing the manuscript for this work in 2026.

Considering vulnerability factors related to migration status is essential to improving access to integrated perinatal health care and reducing health inequities among immigrant women. This review will provide valuable insights to tailor interventions to the social and cultural needs of climate-affected migrant women during the perinatal period.