Birth in Central Africa
Training Skilled Birth Attendants
Read the Blog! Share on FacebookThe World Health Organization estimates 533,000 women die during pregnancy or childbirth each year. This is the equivalent to one woman every minute. These deaths are distributed unequally around the globe, with women in Central Africa having 100 times the risk of dying compared to women in developed countries. Their children are at least 6 times more likely to die within the first year of life; 5 times more likely to die within the first week after birth; and 4 times as likely to not live long enough to be born.
At least 75% of these deaths are preventable with basic health care. By creating a system in which women have access to skilled birth attendants during pregnancy and childbirth, many lives could be saved. When skilled birth attendants are able to refer at risk women to hospitals for care, even more families can be spared. The continued lack of care for families in Central Africa should be unacceptable to Christians.
In August 2008, a group traveled to Bujumbura, Burundi to train volunteers as skilled birth attendants. The volunteers came from Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to take part in a 10 day program that trained them to provide basic level maternity care to families, and to work with the clinics in their communities.
In developed countries 99% of women receive prenatal care and are attended by skilled health personnel during labor. In Burundi only 25% of births are attended by skilled health personnel. In Rwanda only 10% of mothers receive adequate prenatal care and only 31% give birth with a skilled attendant. Both Rwanda and Burundi have less than one midwife per 10,000 people. Only 61% of mothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are attended during labor. The Democratic Republic of Congo has the 5th worst infant mortality rate in the world.
In July 2009, Birthing Naturally will be shipping supplies to the midwives to help them improve the health of women in their communities. You can be part of this effort.
What would you like next?Learn comfort techniques for labor. Find out how what you eat can impact how you give birth. Learn ways to stay comfortable during pregnancy. Read sample birth plans. Get emotionally prepared to give birth. |
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