Blackout babies: Increase in pregnant women after September statewide power failure
WHEN South Australia’s lights went out on that ill-fated stormy September 28 last year, people joked there wasn’t much to do except, well, you know.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WHEN the lights went out across South Australia on September 28 last year, people joked there wasn’t a lot to do except, well, you know.
Fast forward a few months, and it seems the lasting legacy of the extended power outage may be little blackout babies due in late June.
One popular obstetrics practice — Adelaide Obstetrics & Fertility — told The Advertiser they had seen a “slight increase” in women expecting mid-year.
Dr Alison Munt, an obstetrician who delivers babies at Ashford Hospital, said the practice would usually average about 50 deliveries in June, but this year, they had 58 bookings.
“June wouldn’t traditionally be a busy time, (but) our numbers have increased this year which may have to do with the lights going out in SA,” she said.
“South Australians do need to find something to do when the lights go out — there’s nothing to watch on TV.”
Dr Munt said women who conceived by candlelight would be due around June 21.
Immediately after the lights went out in the late afternoon of September 28, social media went into meltdown.
Instagram, Twitter and Facebook users coined the hashtags #prayforadelaide and #adelaideblackout2016, alongside photos of romantic candlelit dinners and “blackout parties”.
Port Pirie’s Jaymee Jak, 28, is expecting her second child with husband Lucian on June 22. The baby will be the sibling of Noah, 2.
Mrs Jak said she believed the pair may have conceived during the power cut.
“We’d been trying anyway but I fell pregnant and it just happened to be over the blackout period,” she said.
“We had massive storms, power lines were down (and flooding) up here as well and we definitely had blackouts over a period of about 24 hours — it was pretty chaotic up here.”
Not surprisingly, obstetricians report September is one of the busiest months for births because many couples conceive during the Christmas and New Year’s festive season.
Battle to save animals on the brink at Outback reserve
Conservationists are battling to save animals at an Outback reserve from the effects of the worst drought in recent memory, and have received a funding boost to redouble their efforts.
Country tradie to face court over incomplete work
A country tradesman will face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court over allegations he was not licenced and refused to refund money to clients.