The first step to saving mothers

When I was pregnant with my first child, I developed pre-eclampsia and it became crucial that I deliver the baby. Born at 30 weeks at a hospital that specializes in high-risk pregnancies and neonatal care, my son spent his first month of life in an incubator. At a postnatal check-up, my doctor commented, “You and your baby would have died if you were back in the Third World.” I was offended. How dare he assume the country where I was born was not equipped to handle such a medical emergency? But the reality is, globally, every two minutes a woman dies in childbirth and 95 percent of those deaths occur in the Global South. Worldwide, there are approximately 6,400 newborn deaths every day, of which 57.5 percent occur in the late neonatal period and could be reduced through adequate care of the woman during pregnancy.

I did grow up in the Global South. But I grew up in the capital city where I had access to both public and private healthcare. Not every woman has this privilege. Take for example Anju, who lives in a rural community in India where inadequate prenatal care and unclean birthing practices have resulted in high maternal and infant mortality rates.

World Renew India’s partner, EFICOR, is currently working with local community health workers to connect marginalized, rural communities like Anju’s to the government health system and to provide prenatal care to women at their doorsteps.

Anju had already had four children with no medical support when EFICOR began working in her community. She wanted her fifth pregnancy to be different. But her family did not see any need for change.

EFICOR staff visited Anju’s household and explained the importance of prenatal check-ups and how they would help ensure that she and the baby were healthy. Anju’s family realized the long-term value of maternal care. Anju underwent her first antenatal check-up and made a commitment that she would deliver the baby at the government hospital.

The top reasons the World Health Organization identifies for maternal deaths are severe bleeding after birth, infection and pre-eclampsia – conditions that, if treated, should not result in death. I survived pre-eclampsia because I was routinely seeing my doctor, and he was able to identify the problem and react quickly. But what if I had given birth in a community like Anju’s? My son and I would not be alive today.

Praise God that Anju survived her pregnancies and gave birth to healthy babies. Now, what about the mothers in communities like hers who develop pre-eclampsia or infections? What about the babies born too early who need neonatal care? The first step to protecting these mothers and infants is to help communities gain access to proper health care – a step that World Renew and its partners are taking. Every mother and child deserve the hope that my son and I experienced.

To learn more about World Renew’s Maternal and Child Health Program, visit: worldrenew.ca/community-health.

This article is made possible through a partnership with CRC Ministries within Canada.