Pregnant Mäori women needed for sleep research

A maternal sleep and health study at Massey’s Sleep/Wake Research Centre needs 500 pregnant Mäori to take part.

The study, called E Moe, Mämä, is part of research looking at the sleep patterns of pregnant women and how these change during and after pregnancy.

Sleep researcher Dr Sarah-Jane Paine, who gave birth to her first child late last year, says getting a good night’s sleep can be hard – “especially if you’re pregnant".

“We are doing the research to understand how sleep for wähine hapü [pregnant women] changes during pregnancy and after birth, and how those changes might affect a mother’s birth experience and her mood.”

The research team wants 500 Mäori and 500 non-Mäori to take part. “More than 600 women have enrolled in this study so far but only 70 are Mäori," Dr Paine says. "We need to get pregnant Mäori women involved to make sure that this important research provides information that is useful for Mäori and non-Mäori women.”

Participation involves filling out a questionnaire after 35-37 weeks of pregnancy, answering a couple of questions over the phone a month to six weeks after the birth and filling out a further questionnaire at 12 weeks. “It will take 15-20 minutes to fill out a questionnaire in your own home," Dr Paine says. "Each woman will be sent a $20 voucher of their choice from either the supermarket, Farmers or for petrol each time they fill out a questionnaire and send it back to the research team.”

The study has funding support from the Health Research Council. Information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and remain anonymous.

Participants must be 16 or older, living in New Zealand, able to complete written questionnaires in either English or Mäori, less than 38 weeks pregnant at the start of their participation and carrying a single baby.

To take part or help recruit participants please phone 0800-686-7537) or visit the website www.mumsleep.co.nz