My dream was to be a mother, I have been very blessed in expereincing childbirth five times. I have 5 wonderful adult children. I loved being pregnant and each experinces was different and personal. The most significant difference was my first two were delivered in a cold operating room. While the last three were delivered in "birthing rooms" which were more like being at home. My hospital built Birthing Centers at 2 of it's facilities.
In reading through the World Health Organization data and finding a Time photogallery article, I chose Afghanistan. The Infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age 1 per 1000 live births) is 73.Culturally young women are ashamed to discuss sex and personal issue with their Mothers. Most babies are born at home with a midwife. It is difficult for them to find gloves, razors and needles. The war torn condition make it difficult for women to make it to hospitals or clinics as well as culturally they husbands do not like their wives to be seen by male doctors. It was nice to read of the improvements that are being made and that since 2003, more than 2700 midwives have been trained.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1842761_1766620,00.html
http://www.who.int/en/
Hi Joy,
ReplyDeleteIt is great to hear that your dream of becoming a mother came true! All of the local hospitals in my area have done construction in the past 5 years to recreate the birthing rooms in which you described. They are complete with an extra sofa bed for the dads, private computers, TV's and other 'comforts' for mothers. It is quite different than the experiences you described for the women of Afghanistan. I could not image how hard it would be to not have even the most basic tools for medical procedures, let alone not having medical staff present at all. I hope improvements continue to be made so that their pregnancies could be as positive as yours.
*Becca Rauch
Joy, I am in awe of you - having five children! It is wonderful that each of your pregnancies went well and I like how you described them as being "personal". It is amazing what we come to think and expect for prenatal/postnatal care and what other women from around the world experience as their norms. After reading what you wrote about women in Afghanistan, I am so impressed with how strong and resilient women are. I am happy to read that improvements are being made to further help and support Afghan women.
ReplyDelete-Suzanne Spruce