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. 2023 Dec;47(8):151843.
doi: 10.1016/j.semperi.2023.151843. Epub 2023 Oct 10.

Climate change as a threat multiplier to environmental reproductive justice

Emily B Weaver  1 , Laila Gad  1 , Ami R Zota  2
Affiliations

Climate change as a threat multiplier to environmental reproductive justice

Emily B Weaver et al. Semin Perinatol. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Legacies of racial capitalism and colonialism drive present day racial disparities in perinatal health outcomes. Climate change amplifies existing social inequalities associated with environmental exposures and reproductive health, of which BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities bear a disproportionate burden. Through case studies, this article summarizes three examples of climate justice issues with reproductive healthcare outcomes: traffic related air pollution exposure, chemical exposures in personal care products and plastics, and natural disaster frequency. We advocate for incorporation of climate justice and environmental health impact into medical school curriculum, increased prenatal screening for environmental toxins, and physician engagement with local environmental issues.

Keywords: Air Pollution; Climate Change; Environmental Justice; Natural Disaster; Personal Care Products; Pregnancy Outcomes; Reproductive Justice.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Conceptual Figure of relationship between colonialism, racial capitalism, reproductive injustice, and environmental injustice.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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