Pregnancy in the time of Ebola

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Hawa is a 40-year old mother of six living in the Kamara Chiefdom, Kono District, in eastern Sierra Leone. Three of her daughters still live at home and are registered children with World Vision.

Hawa is eight months pregnant and is living in fear of delivering her baby during the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone.

"The Ebola crisis is my greatest fear at this time"

She’s hoping for a boy this time round, but is feeling a high level of anxiety. "The Ebola crisis is my greatest fear at this time," she explains, adding; ‘‘Pregnant women used to stay at the clinic for two to three days after delivery, so we are monitored in case of complications. Now women can be sent home on the same day. I have seen that happen here in my community and I am very scared."

Nurses and patients are also wary and treat each other with caution: ‘I am personally afraid of nurses. You don’t know whether the nurse treating you has contracted Ebola.’’ Hawa explains.

Hawa’s chiefdom has had one Ebola case, and the victim sadly died. The village was quarantined for 21 days in the wake of the death.

Hawa isn’t sure how she will provide for her new baby when it arrives, and this is adding to her worries.

Hawa isn’t sure how she will provide for her new baby when it arrives, and this is adding to her worries.

As a petty trader, she sells onions, peppers, pumpkins, salt and other food items, but since the Ebola outbreak her business has suffered: "I used to be busy selling food stuffs like popcorn and other fast foods. But we have reached a point where people are afraid to buy food from us. Sales are very difficult, never mind making a profit. I was able to pay the children’s school fees from this petty trade, but now I’m not so sure."

Hawa’s eldest daughter, 12-year-old Marian, says she’s fed-up of all this Ebola talk. "I am tired of Ebola. Everywhere you go you hear the name Ebola. This same Ebola is responsible for my being at home now, when I should be in school. Before now, we used to have enough at home. But things are not the way they used to be because of Ebola. It is also making things difficult for my mother and her pregnancy", she complains, adding: "I feel sorry for pregnant women. But I am sure my mother will deliver safely."

Sierra Leone has been reported as the worst place for women to give birth over the last decade - and Ebola is only likely to make things worse.

World Vision has been complementing the Government’s free health care packages to pregnant and lactating mothers and under-fives. Hawa’s community hospital and health unit recently benefited from kits donated by World Vision. The kits contained specialized maternity equipment such as a pediatric manual resuscitator, transparent dressings, mother/infant bracelets, baby and mother diapers, utility gloves and special infant showers.

World Vision is working with communities, including Hawa’s, on Ebola awareness to help stop the spread of the disease.

Ebola-related equipment like chlorine; water purifying pills; hand gloves and body bags have also been donated. World Vision is working with communities, including Hawa’s, on Ebola awareness to help stop the spread of the disease.

You can support the work World Vision is doing to help prevent the spread of Ebola here.