Pregnant during natural disasters

2025

Using a mixed-method approach to understanding pregnant people's and healthcare professionals' experiences during natural disasters and extreme weather events to improve mental health support.

Key research questions

• Understand the strategies that empower or hinder families during natural disasters
• Identify systemic and organisational challenges in emergency-related perinatal care
• Explore regional disparities between urban and rural service delivery
• Understand what help is needed and what that would look like in future natural disasters

Progress to date

Recruitment from January 2025 to June 2025. If you or your partner has given birth in the last 4 years during or shortly after a disaster, please contact keamail@aut.ac.nz or sign up at kealab.ac.nz

Preliminary findings

The Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle have put the spotlight on how communities recover in the aftermath of widespread devastation. But future-proofing communities against the impact of these disasters needs to include measures to protect some of our most vulnerable people – pregnant women and their unborn babies.

Read more

• Natural disasters take a toll on unborn babies – we need to support pregnant mums after Cyclone Gabrielle
• kealab.ac.nz