Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems
There has long been anecdotal evidence of early labor and delivery in severe weather events leading to preterm birth. In particular, significant barometric pressure changes are associated with hurricanes and bomb cyclones. Some authors have related these low pressure weather events to premature rupt...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00524/full |
| _version_ | 1819047301434310656 |
|---|---|
| author | Mackenzie L. Wheeler Michelle L. Oyen |
| author_facet | Mackenzie L. Wheeler Michelle L. Oyen |
| author_sort | Mackenzie L. Wheeler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There has long been anecdotal evidence of early labor and delivery in severe weather events leading to preterm birth. In particular, significant barometric pressure changes are associated with hurricanes and bomb cyclones. Some authors have related these low pressure weather events to premature rupture of fetal membranes, hypothesizing that the membranes act as an inflated balloon and respond directly to pressure changes. In this article, the key literature including data supporting this hypothesis is reviewed. A simple numerical model, based on a competition between the driving and resisting forces for fetal membrane rupture, is presented. This model provides a quantitative mechanism for membrane failure in the context of storms with low atmospheric pressure. Other sequelae of severe storms that are unrelated to fetal membrane rupture are also discussed. Labor and delivery in the context of major weather events should be understood in a holistic framework that includes both exogenous and endogenous factors relevant to the pregnant patient. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:58:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6812359684f549158fd2cc9bc928a3bf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:58:11Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-6812359684f549158fd2cc9bc928a3bf2022-12-21T19:06:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2020-05-011110.3389/fphys.2020.00524539793Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather SystemsMackenzie L. WheelerMichelle L. OyenThere has long been anecdotal evidence of early labor and delivery in severe weather events leading to preterm birth. In particular, significant barometric pressure changes are associated with hurricanes and bomb cyclones. Some authors have related these low pressure weather events to premature rupture of fetal membranes, hypothesizing that the membranes act as an inflated balloon and respond directly to pressure changes. In this article, the key literature including data supporting this hypothesis is reviewed. A simple numerical model, based on a competition between the driving and resisting forces for fetal membrane rupture, is presented. This model provides a quantitative mechanism for membrane failure in the context of storms with low atmospheric pressure. Other sequelae of severe storms that are unrelated to fetal membrane rupture are also discussed. Labor and delivery in the context of major weather events should be understood in a holistic framework that includes both exogenous and endogenous factors relevant to the pregnant patient.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00524/fullpretermprematurePROMchorioamnionfetalmembranes |
| spellingShingle | Mackenzie L. Wheeler Michelle L. Oyen Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems Frontiers in Physiology preterm premature PROM chorioamnion fetal membranes |
| title | Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems |
| title_full | Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems |
| title_fullStr | Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems |
| title_short | Premature Rupture of Membranes and Severe Weather Systems |
| title_sort | premature rupture of membranes and severe weather systems |
| topic | preterm premature PROM chorioamnion fetal membranes |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00524/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mackenzielwheeler prematureruptureofmembranesandsevereweathersystems AT michelleloyen prematureruptureofmembranesandsevereweathersystems |