The World Health Organization (WHO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), UNICEF, and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have launched the first set of priority indicators to help countries monitor the health impacts of extreme heat on pregnant women, newborns, and children. The framework is intended to strengthen preparedness, improve surveillance, and support timely public health responses as heat exposure intensifies globally. Evidence cited in the report links extreme heat exposure with adverse health outcomes across pregnancy and childhood.

Studies indicate a 26% increase in the odds of preterm birth associated with extreme heat exposure. Newborns are also experiencing greater exposure to heatwaves: infants younger than one year experienced 389% more heatwave days in 2024 than during the 1986–2005 baseline period. Globally, an estimated 1.5 billion children are exposed to…