ST. LOUIS – Low-pressure fronts, often referred to as storm systems, create pressure changes. But some people believe pressure changes cause biological effects on humans and their pets, including birthing rates, arthritis, anxiety, temperament, and headaches.
Do birthrates change as a storm approaches and pressure drops?
“There has actually been a few papers that there is or is not a risk,” Dr. Jamil Neme, SSM Sports Medicine physician, said. “But there seems to be something about when women are later on in their pregnancies; if you have an expansion of that fluid, it can have a thinning of that membrane. It actually can set off into deliveries.”
Those with arthritis, old wounds, and headaches are great forecasters of storms and pressure changes, yes?
“A lot of my patients who come in with arthritic pains tell me they know when it is going to hurt more,” Neme said. “When you have a drop in barometric pressure and expansion of fluid, then you are going to have that squeezing and swelling sensation.”