O-322 Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Among Pregnant Women in Unorganized or Organized Workplaces - Who Is More Susceptible?

Introduction Most affected by climate change-induced heat in developing countries are pregnant women who work in environments with limited access to heat mitigation strategies. Methodology In Tamilnadu, India, 230 expectant women from unorganized workplaces (UWs) and 384 from organized workplaces (OWs) participated in an observational prospective cohort study. In addition to the pre-and post-shift measurements of Core Body Temperature (CBT) and Urine Specific Gravity (USG), the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT°C) was measured, and a validated questionnaire was used to collect self-reported heat-related symptoms. Postpartum interviews uncovered Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (APOs). SPSS 16.0 modeled univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results OWs’ WBGT°C values ranged from 24.1-28.5°C in OWs while in UWs’ it ranged from 24.1-30.2°C. Half of UW women exceeded the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). Exposures to WBGT>27.5°C increased APO risk for women in UWs by 1.9-fold, and 44.3% of expectant UWs had chronic dehydration. The risk of spontaneous abortion/miscarriage was 2.3 times greater and adverse birth outcomes were doubled (95%CI: 1.1-5.2) among pregnant women working in UWs. Discussion Our study indicates that exposures to WBGT in excess of TLVs during all three trimesters of pregnancy, in conjunction with poor welfare and working conditions for women in UWs, could lead to fetal heat stress and an increased risk of APOs. Conclusion To safeguard pregnant women from the negative effects of occupational heat stress, it is necessary to implement protective labor policies and improve workplace welfare facilities.