The Challenges of Global Climate Change: TMU Focuses on Maternal Care and Child Health
Source: College of Public Health
Published on 2024-12-31
Taipei Medical University’s College of Public Health is leading efforts to address the effects of climate change on maternal care and child health.
On November 2, 2024, the college hosted its second special forum, “Impact and Adaptation of Climate Change on Vulnerable Populations: Pregnant Women and Children,” where scholars and experts discussed strategies to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change. The forum highlighted the detrimental effects of high temperatures and household air pollution on children’s growth and development.
Indoor Air Quality and Child Cognitive Development
The 2023 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report identified pregnant women and children as particularly vulnerable populations in the face of climate change. From 2017 to 2020, a TMU research team led by Dean Yi-Hua Chen and Associate Dean Hsing Jasmine Chao conducted a study involving 142 households to examine how environmental quality affects the cognitive development of preschool children (ages 2 to 5).
The team measured air pollutants such as total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and allergens. Results revealed that a 138 ppb increase in TVOC levels in the living room correlated with a 5-percentile decline in children’s cognitive development, with girls showing an 8-percentile decline. Other household factors, such as incense burning and newly purchased furniture, also contributed to cognitive delays, with reductions of 10 and 11 percentiles, respectively. Associate Dean Chao attributed the latter to the emission of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde from the new furniture.
The study underscores the importance of avoiding children’s exposure to products that emit VOCs and maintaining clean air in children’s activity areas to support healthy development.
High Temperatures and Risks for Pregnant Women and Newborns
Another TMU study investigated the relationship between high temperatures and pregnancy outcomes. Using data from a decade-long cohort study in the Greater Taipei Metropolitan Area (2011–2022), Dean Chen’s research team found that a 1°C rise in minimum temperature was associated with an increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight (approximately 6%) and a reduction in fetal birth weight (around 6.53 grams). Babies born during the summer were particularly vulnerable.
The team linked these effects to physiological changes in pregnant women, such as hormonal shifts and reduced thermoregulatory efficiency. Increased cortisol levels and dehydration-induced blood flow changes were cited as potential triggers for premature labor. The findings emphasize the need to raise awareness among pregnant women about the risks of high temperatures and recommend increased access to green environments, which have been shown to mitigate heat exposure and enhance children’s attention span development by age 2.
Climate Change, Nutrition, and Children’s Health
Professor Ling-Chu Chien presented findings on how extreme climate events impact the nutritional value of food crops in other countries. The team found a significant reduction in essential trace elements in food in Taiwan. Iron and zinc levels have decreased by up to 60-70%. This situation raises serious concerns regarding dietary deficiencies in these critical trace elements. Additionally, the study highlights that heavy metals and essential trace elements influence the distribution of gut microbiota. Specifically, children with developmental delays exhibit lower microbiota diversity.
TMU’s College of Public Health is committed to advancing research on climate change and its effects on vulnerable populations. By raising awareness and proposing actionable strategies, the team hopes to mitigate the health impacts of climate change on pregnant women and children, ensuring a healthier future for the next generation.