Counseling Pregnant Women on Heat Exposure: Healthcare Provider Practices and Perceptions — United States, April 2025
- Presentation Day/Time: Thursday, April 23, 9:25 AM
- Presenter: Rugiatu Kamara, MBChB, MSc, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases
The Issue
- Heat exposure is a risk for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes, but little is known about whether healthcare providers routinely counsel pregnant patients about heat exposure.
What We Did
- We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Spring 2025 DocStyles survey, a web-based opt-in panel of U.S. healthcare providers.
What We Found
- Overall, 38.5% of providers counseled pregnant patients about heat exposure. OB/GYNs had higher odds of counseling compared with primary care providers (PCPs).
What This Means
- Strengthening provider knowledge and integrating evidence-based tools into prenatal care might improve delivery of heat-related guidance and support safer pregnancies.
