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Rachel V Thomas

Rising Temperatures May Lead To Fewer Male Births: Study

Rising Temperatures May Lead To Fewer Male Births: Study

A warming climate may not only reshape the planet, weather patterns, and ecosystems, but may also influence who is born and cause <span>gender</span> imbalance, according to an alarming study.

The large study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides new evidence that higher temperatures can influence the <span>sex ratio</span> at birth -- the number of boys born relative to girls. 

The findings, based on an analysis of more than five million births across 33 sub-Saharan African countries and India, showed that temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius have consistently led to fewer male births in both regions.

"Extreme heat is not only a major public health threat. We show that temperature fundamentally shapes human reproduction by influencing who is born and who is not born,” said lead author Dr. Jasmin Abdel Ghany, from the <span>University of Oxford</span>. 

“Our findings indicate that temperature has measurable consequences for fetal survival and family planning behavior, with implications for population composition and gender balance. Understanding these processes is essential for anticipating how the environment affects societies in a warming climate," Ghany added.

<h2><span rel="noindex">Climate Change</span> May Determine Who Is Born</h2>

The study showed a decline in male births among women exposed to high temperatures during the first trimester of <span>pregnancy</span> in sub-Saharan <span>Africa</span>. 

This pattern is consistent with increased prenatal mortality driven by maternal heat stress. It is particularly pronounced among women living in rural areas, those with lower levels of education, and those with higher birth orders. 

On the contrary, the team found that in India, where sex ratios have historically been distorted by preference for a male heir and sex-selective abortion, the effects appear later in pregnancy. 

Higher temperatures during the second trimester led to fewer male births. This was particularly seen among older mothers, high-parity births, and women without sons in northern states. 

Notably, the study highlighted that the effects of heat are not evenly distributed. 

Women with fewer resources and those living in more vulnerable settings are more strongly affected, raising concerns about widening health inequalities under climate change.

<h2>Warming Temperatures Can Reshape Demographics</h2>

The research demonstrates how environmental change can shape fundamental population processes. 

It contributes to growing evidence that extreme heat is not only an environmental and economic challenge, but also a major public health and demographic issue. 

Amid rising global temperatures, the researchers stressed the need to protect maternal health and to improve access to health care, as this will cut down the long-term impacts of heat on reproduction and population dynamics. 

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A warming climate may not only reshape the planet, weather patterns, and ecosystems, but may also influence who is born and cause gender imbalance, according to an alarming study.The large study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences provides new evidence that higher temperatures can influence the sex ratio at birth -- the number of boys born relative to girls. The findings, based on an analysis of more than five million births across 33 sub-Saharan African countries and India, showed that temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius have consistently led to fewer male births in both regions. "Extreme heat is not only a major public health threat. We show that temperature fundamentally shapes human reproduction by influencing who is born and who is not born,” said lead author Dr. Jasmin Abdel Ghany, from the University of Oxford. “Our findings indicate that temperature has measurable consequences for fetal survival and family planning behavior, with implications for population composition and gender balance. Understanding these processes is essential for anticipating how the environment affects societies in a warming climate," Ghany added. Climate Change May Determine Who Is Born The study showed a decline in male births among women exposed to high temperatures during the first trimester of pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. This pattern is consistent with increased prenatal mortality driven by maternal heat stress. It is particularly pronounced among women living in rural areas, those with lower levels of education, and those with higher birth orders.  On the contrary, the team found that in India, where sex ratios have historically been distorted by preference for a male heir and sex-selective abortion, the effects appear later in pregnancy. Higher temperatures during the second trimester led to fewer male births. This was particularly seen among older mothers, high-parity births, and women without sons in northern states.  Notably, the study highlighted that the effects of heat are not evenly distributed. Women with fewer resources and those living in more vulnerable settings are more strongly affected, raising concerns about widening health inequalities under climate change. Warming Temperatures Can Reshape DemographicsThe research demonstrates how environmental change can shape fundamental population processes. It contributes to growing evidence that extreme heat is not only an environmental and economic challenge, but also a major public health and demographic issue. Amid rising global temperatures, the researchers stressed the need to protect maternal health and to improve access to health care, as this will cut down the long-term impacts of heat on reproduction and population dynamics.  