Extreme heat linked to postpartum depression in Southern California

Previous epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to extreme heat affects mental health, but there are very limited studies examining the relationship between exposure to high temperatures and the mental health of pregnant women, and none the past has examined its impact on postpartum mothers. mental health.

To address this knowledge gap, a study was conducted recently published in the news Environmental health perspectives led by Jun Wu, Ph.D., professor of environmental and occupational health at the UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, and team found that a cohort of mothers in Southern California who were exposed to higher temperatures during the postpartum exposed This period was associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression (PPD).

“Our finding builds on our team’s previous work that linked long-term exposure to air pollution and the increased risk of PPD,” says Wu. “Air pollution and heat are a harmful combination for our bodies, as rising temperatures can stimulate our bodies to absorb more air pollution through sweat, increased blood flow to the skin and increased breathing.”

The team conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from more than 430,000 women in Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s electronic medical records who had a live singleton birth at KPSC facilities between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2018. The health data was combined with historical data on daily ambient temperature, including the amount of air pollution (particulate matter and ozone), exposure to green space within a radius of 500 meters and access to air conditioning.

“We found that temperature-related PPD risks were greater among African American, Asian, and Hispanic mothers compared with their counterparts,” said Yi Sun, Ph.D., the study’s first author.

“Higher temperatures also showed a stronger association with PPD among mothers who had higher exposure to air pollution, fewer green spaces and lower access to air conditioning.”

Previous work by Wu found that exposure to green space was associated with a reduced risk of PPD. Additional targeted interventions are needed for mothers, especially those from marginalized communities, who are exposed to higher temperatures and temperature fluctuations and who live in regions with more air pollution, less green space, and less access to air conditioning in the state of California.