Help Pregnant Moms Give Birth Safely in Disasters

Razia, from Pakistan, was only 13 years old when her family married her off. She quickly became pregnant, though tragically, her husband died when she was six months along. 

Razia, like many young mothers, had a birth complications. She was in labor for four days before her daughter was stillborn and she developed an obstetric fistula. Razia did not have the lifesaving skills of a midwife with her when she gave birth.

$400 equips a midwife and a maternity ward with enough supplies to help 50 women like Razia safely deliver their babies. 

Fistula is a birth injury in which a long or obstructed labor causes a tear in the birth canal, leading to the mother leaking feces or urine. It often causes infections and social isolation. Fistula is also overwhelmingly a problem faced by the most disadvantaged women- impoverished, young, or malnourished. 

"People would either avoid me or just make fun of me," Razia said. "I never felt clean."

Thankfully, Razia was able to obtain treatment for her fistula and go on to live a healthy life, including getting remarried and having her own child!

Now, she works with UNFPA to bring treatment to other women suffering from fistula. 

You can join Razia and prevent women from ever needing fistula surgery to begin with. 

$15 provides three mothers with emergency birth kits, which provide all of the materials necessary to give birth during a crisis.

Links:

• UNFPA's work ending obstetric fistula

The day that Lena gave birth to her seventh child began just like any other day. Her husband was out grazing their livestock in the grasslands of Kenya and her children went to bed at their normal time.

Then, chaos erupted. Bandits from a neighboring village had set fire to most of the homes in Lena's community and were shooting at those who fled. The assainlants' goal was to take livestock and other valuables to suvive through a drought that had been affecting the region. 

Lena escaped to the bush surrounding her home - alone except for a neighbor woman who had keep struck by a stray bullet. Her six children had run in different directions. That was when Lena went into labor. 

Luckily, Lena had a UNFPA emergency birth kit with her. She and her neighbor laid out a plastic sheet and Lena gave birth to her son, safely. 

You can support women like Lena! $5 provides one emergency birth kit to a pregnant woman in crisis. 

Everyday, more than 500 women in humanitarian settings die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications. 

Some of these women were alone or in labor for days before they died. Others may have passed away in front of loved ones who were lacked the basic tools to save her life. 

$400 provides one clinic with enough funds for midwives and supplies to help 50 women delivery healthy babies. 

UNFPA works to provide lifesaving care to women and girls all over the world. 

Links:

• Read about other mothers who have used emergency birth kits!