HEARTH is a three-year research project funded by the Medical Research Foundation (MRF). It aims to understand the effects of personal heat exposure on maternal and neonatal health in rural Kilifi, Kenya and to generate evidence to inform protective interventions against the adverse health impacts of heat. The project is a collaboration between Africa International University, Kenya, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), UK.

Exposure to high ambient temperatures during pregnancy and labour has been shown to affect maternal and newborn health negatively, but research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains limited. Globally, very little is known about the impacts of high temperatures during the postpartum period. The lack of data on how heat affects postpartum health and behaviors, such as breastfeeding and maternal care, leaves a critical gap in understanding the full scope of these risks. Current studies have mainly focused on outdoor temperatures, neglecting the often higher indoor temperatures in low-resource settings. Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggests an increase in preterm births, low birth weight, and emergency C-sections during heatwaves, but formal studies are lacking. The lack of detailed data and modeling on indoor temperature exposure hinders the development of effective interventions to protect maternal and neonatal health.