Alan Barreca in Phys.org: Hot weather linked to rise in early childbirth

Hot weather can cause a spike in the number of babies being born early, a phenomenon that may harm infant health and is likely to get worse as temperatures climb due to climate change, scientists said Monday.

“It is very likely that being born earlier will affect child development and have lasting impacts into adulthood, but more research is needed to confirm this,” Alan Barreca, from the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California–Los Angeles.

“Hot weather increases maternal levels of oxytocin, which is a key hormone that regulates labour and delivery. But, the link could be because hot weather causes cardiovascular stress, which might lead to early deliveries,” he told AFP.