I am thrilled to announce that our research project PRoMEThEUS (Adapting to temperature extremes in pregnant women and infants: past trends and future scenarios) has been awarded funding by Forte (Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare) under the 2024 Research Projects call. This exciting initiative will run from January 2025 to December 2027, with a total grant of approximately 5 million SEK.
The Problem
Extreme and non-optimal temperatures caused by climate change pose significant health risks to the population, especially vulnerable groups like pregnant women and infants. These groups face disproportionate health challenges, including risks of preterm birth, gestational complications, and heat or cold stress in newborns. Understanding the unfolding of impacts, identifying vulnerable populations, and exploring adative strategies are crucial steps in shaping actions towards a sustainable and equitable future.
The Collaboration
PRoMEThEUS is a collaborative initiative involving Karolinska Institutet, Uppsala University, the University of Manchester and the Human Technopole in Milan. This interdisciplinary effort unites a dynamic team of researchers from Sweden, the UK, and Italy, specialising in population health, climate science, health data science, and social sciences.
The Aim
The project focuses on three key objectives:
- Studying the vulnerability of pregnant women and infants to extreme and non-optimal temperatures in Sweden,
- Investigating the role of adaptation strategies across Sweden, England, and Italy in shaping maternal and infant health outcomes,
- Developing future scenarios using the innovative storyline approach to characterise how maternal and infant health might be impacted by extreme temperatures under different socio-political conditions.
By integrating medical, environmental, and social data, PRoMEThEUS seeks to uncover pathways to protect these vulnerable populations and inform policies for a sustainable and equitable future.
