Danger from extreme temperatures has escalated for pregnant labourers working outdoors in American agriculture, especially in hot and humid fields and nurseries across states such as California, Iowa, and Florida.
Last summer in Illinois, Clarisa Lugo learned this firsthand. While checking crop fields at eight months pregnant, she collapsed from heat strain as the heat index climbed to 105°F (40.5°C). She vomited, grew unsteady on her feet, and suffered a pounding headache for hours. “I remember that it was hard for me to go back to normal,” Lugo said, reports AP/UNB.
Those who work in farming already rank among the groups most likely to suffer injuries or death from heat, and researchers say pregnancy dramatically heightens vulnerability. Heat exposure during pregnancy is associated with outcomes such as stillbirth, early delivery, miscarriage, and underweight newborns — problems experts warn will become more common as the climate warms. Yet, worker protection continues to lag far behind the hazards.
A workforce exposed to rising temperatures
California — home to a significant share of U.S. agricultural activity — recorded employment of more than 893,000 farmworkers in 2023. Over the last century, the state’s average temperature has increased close to 3°F (1.67°C), and seven of the most recent eight years have been the hottest ever documented. Similar warming patterns are being reported in Florida and Iowa.
Studies indicate that people working in fields are more than 35 times as likely to die from heat compared to other sectors — a number believed by specialists to be an underestimate. Women now make up about one in three farmworkers nationwide, and their representation is growing.
The sector is no stranger to tragedy. In 2008, 17-year-old vineyard worker Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez lost her life to heatstroke while tending grapes in California. State officials later toughened outdoor work protections, naming the updated rules after her.
Regulations vary widely from state to state
Only a handful of places — including California and Washington — have implemented their own heat standards for outdoor workplaces. There are currently no nationwide requirements, and although the Trump administration has signalled that a federal rule is in progress, advocates argue that enforcement failures remain widespread.
In some parts of the country, safeguards are moving backward: Texas and Florida have prohibited cities from enacting their own heat safety policies. Meanwhile, the 2023 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act obliges employers to offer “reasonable accommodations,” but many argue the law does not specifically account for the risks pregnant farmworkers face.
“There simply aren’t enough protections for pregnant workers,” said Dr. Ayana DeGaia, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington. “That’s part of why maternal and infant mortality rates in the US remain among the highest in high-income countries.”
Immigration concerns deepen workers’ reluctance to seek help
Policies under the Trump administration have stoked fear among immigrant communities, discouraging many from medical care due to worries about deportation.
Dr. Katherine Gabriel-Cox, who treats patients in California, said it is common to see women avoiding prenatal checkups and appearing only when childbirth has already begun. “It’s something we hear over and over again,” she said.
Physicians for Human Rights has reported fewer clinic visits and more missed appointments among pregnant immigrants in multiple states.
Strain does not end after leaving the fields
Workers interviewed by the Associated Press described employers refusing shade, clean drinking water, or regular rest. Some said bathroom breaks required long walks and were restricted even for pregnant women. Physically demanding tasks — such as carrying heavy loads or bending for hours — are often unavoidable to keep their jobs.
“There were times when my back and whole body hurt,” said a Florida nursery worker. “But I had to keep going — no one was going to pay my bills.”
Some choose to wear additional clothing to protect themselves from harassment, trapping extra heat against the body. When returning home, relief is limited — many live in crowded residences or places without air conditioning.
A preventable crisis, if protections improve
Researchers say heat waves are projected to stretch longer and occur more frequently. Pregnant agricultural workers could face the most severe consequences if safeguards remain inadequate.
“We can’t stop temperatures from rising,” said Yunuen Ibarra, programs director at Líderes Campesinas. “But we can stop farmworkers from dying, falling ill, or becoming disabled because of heat-related illnesses.”
Advocates warn that without firm rules and meaningful accountability, more parents and newborns will continue to suffer under harsh and dangerous working conditions.
