NPR

'Sadness, Guilt And Relief': Public Health Researcher Talks About Her Miscarriage During Australia W

Gemma Carey talks to us about having a miscarriage during the crisis and whether she still wants to have children.
Wildfires in Australia have killed at least 28 people and destroyed thousands of homes. (Siobhan Threlfall/AP)

As fires in Australia claimed thousands of homes and at least 28 lives, smoke became a pervasive part of everyday life.

But smoke doesn’t affect everyone equally. And vulnerable residents, such as the elderly and the sick, have faced additional risks from the smog that made its way into homes and even hospitals.

So did Gemma Carey’s unborn baby.

Carey, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales who studies public health, wrote about the dread of being pregnant under Canberra’s smoky, orange sky.

“I had been staying inside with the smoke, knowing all of the health risks for my baby,” she tells . As

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR11 min read
Kenya's Samburu Boys Share A Sacred Bond. Why One Teen Broke With The Brotherhood
After initiation rites – including circumcision – the boys leave their families to take charge of the herds, driving them high into the mountains. It's a way of life that climate change is testing.
NPR2 min read
Short-term Loss For Long-term Gain? The Ethical Dilemma At The Heart Of EVs
As mines meet mineral demands for electric vehicles, they put communities and ecosystems at risk. Sustainability researcher Elsa Dominish says the EV industry cannot repeat fossil fuel's mistakes.
NPR5 min readWorld
Putin Replaces His Defense Minister As He Starts His 5th Term In Office
Putin proposed Andrei Belousov, who until recently served as the first deputy prime minister, to replace Sergei Shoigu in a Cabinet shakeup.

Related Books & Audiobooks