Strengthening Maternal and Infant Health Resilience Before Weather and Climate Disasters: Preparedness Resources from CDC's Division of Reproductive Health

J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2024 Oct;33(10):1289-1295. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2024.0669. Epub 2024 Aug 12.

Abstract

This report describes opportunities to address emergency preparedness to incorporate the needs of pregnant and postpartum populations. This report briefly summarizes data on the impacts of weather and climate disasters on maternal and infant health and outlines opportunities for individuals, health care providers, and public health practitioners to increase capacity to prepare for these occurrences, which are becoming more frequent and costly. Specific resources from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Reproductive Health are shared to support individual preparedness, communication of disaster safety messages, and emergency preparedness planning capacity among health care providers and health departments.

Keywords: climate disasters; emergency preparedness and response; infant health; maternal health; natural disasters.

MeSH terms

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.*
  • Civil Defense
  • Climate Change
  • Disaster Planning*
  • Disasters*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Health*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Maternal Health
  • Pregnancy
  • Reproductive Health
  • United States
  • Weather*