When heat becomes a health issue during pregnancy

Understanding health risks during pregnancy and acting professionally

Online training, May 27, 2026

Training on heat stress during pregnancy: Recognizing risks, understanding the consequences for mother and child, and implementing protective measures in everyday work – practical for professionals and interested parties

How can professionals protect pregnant women from the health consequences of heat?
Pregnant women and unborn children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat stress due to their limited ability to adapt. This leads to an increased incidence of premature births, pregnancy-related illnesses, and congenital malformations. This training course provides practical guidance on how to identify risks and effectively address them in professional practice.

This training course provides key theoretical foundations on the physiology and pathophysiology of heat stress during pregnancy, social influencing factors, potential health effects on pregnant women and unborn children, and protective measures for pregnant women in everyday life. Furthermore, it addresses the question of what competencies professionals need to integrate the topic of heat stress during pregnancy into their professional practice. Based on models of professional competence and an adapted Planetary Health Education Framework, concrete starting points for counseling, support, and training are discussed. The perspective of the professionals themselves is also considered – for example, regarding their own experiences of heat stress.

This training is aimed at professionals in obstetrics and gynecology, early intervention services, community and social work, as well as other interested individuals who advise, support, or care for pregnant women. Continuing education credits for midwives and physicians are being applied for.

The training course is offered as part of the project “Climate-healthy around birth and early childhood” funded by the GKV Alliance for Health Bremen and is implemented in the context of a doctoral thesis.

Further information and registration