WOMEN who were pregnant during a bushfire are being asked to help with a study, to determine the impact of disasters such as Black Saturday on pregnancy.
The study, which is being carried out by researchers from the Australian National University (ANU), asks for women who were pregnant during a bushfire to take part in a voluntary survey or interview.
According to a statement by the ANU, the study aims to determine the effects bushfires may have on pregnancies, birth weight and birth times.
“International evidence from storms and hurricanes shows that natural disasters can be stressful and may result in babies being born earlier or at lower birth weights,” the statement reads.
“But whether bushfires have the same effect is not well understood, and there has been very little Australian research.”
The survey features 24 questions about experiences before, during and following bushfires – including 2009 the Black Saturday bushfires – and takes around 10 minutes to complete.
Volunteers in the survey take part anonymously, and participants can skip any questions they don’t wish to answer.
Participants can also choose to take part in a confidential and voluntary interview, to provide further information to assist with the study.
Residents can take part in the survey or volunteer for an interview until 31 December 2014.
To take part in the survey, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/bushfires, and to organise an interview, contact Megan O’Donnell from ANU at u5037508@anu.edu.au.
