16 The WHO recommends that infants be fed with breast milk exclusively for the first 6 months and that no solids or other liquids are given during this period, including water.
16 There are also benefits for maternal health, with nursing mothers at lower risk of breast and, potentially, ovarian cancers. 14–16 Breastfeeding reduces the risk of diarrhoea and respiratory infections among infants, and is associated with a higher IQ and reduced obesity in later life. 10īreastfeeding and, in particular, exclusive breastfeeding has well-established benefits for child health and development. For example, there is still a common misconception among postpartum women in several African countries that breast milk is not sufficient to hydrate babies during hot weather, leading to supplementary feeding of infants (with sometimes non-potable water) 10–13 and a reduction in exclusive breastfeeding. 8 Mothers may find it difficult to breastfeed their infants under extreme heat 9 and may also change their behaviour due to perceived risks to health. 2 High temperatures may also reduce cognitive function 7 and interfere with daily activities, leading to a decline in emotional health and well-being. 6 Child wasting and malnutrition are expected to increase. 3 Maternal and neonatal health will be affected through the adverse effects of heat on preterm birth, 4 5 stillbirth 4 5 and maternal nutrition. 9 Department of Population Health, Medical College, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenyaĭr Chérie Part .ukĬlimate change is a growing threat to population health in Africa, 1 2 with heatwaves increasing in severity and duration, especially in the Sahel.8 Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.7 Departement Biomédical et Santé Publique, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.6 Department of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.5 Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.4 Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.3 Agence de Formation de Recherche et d'Expertise en Santé pour l’Afrique (AFRICSanté), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.2 Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.1 Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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