A safer way to give birth
Uganda has made good progress in reducing maternal deaths over the last decade. Yet still, approximately 336 mothers die for every 100,000 babies born.
Changing attitudes to home birth – which dramatically increases childbirth health risks – is key to reducing this largely preventable loss of life.
Brenda, a mother of six from Oyam District, talked to us about her experience amid the many challenges and complications from home births that she faced.
After the birth of her second baby at home, she developed a terrible headache that lasted for days. Brenda didn’t know it at the time, but she had eclampsia, a life-threatening condition linked to high blood pressure.
When Brenda gave birth to her third child at home in 2012, there was no trained health worker with her and when she developed a post-partum haemorrhage, which resulted in her being rushed to a hospital which is approximately a two hours’ walk away from her home.
With the support and generosity of the Australian people, World Vision is tackling the challenge of home births from two angles. We are collaborating with the Ugandan Government to upgrade local health facilities and train health staff so pregnant women can receive high-quality childbirth services and antenatal and post-natal care.
At the same time, we are training Community Health Volunteers to raise awareness among women and their families about the importance of giving birth safely in a health facility.
When Brenda was pregnant with her fifth child, she was visited by a Community Health Volunteer, who informed her about the risks associated with home births and encouraged her to visit the Atipe Health Centre which had been upgraded and had trained staff on standby to help women like her to deliver their babies safely.
“It was a joy to give birth at the health centre, they had clean water where I could clean myself and the baby after giving birth,” Brenda explained. “I felt safe and cared for by the staff, and the experience was good. I have started to ask myself: why would I deliver children at home?”
In October 2020, Brenda again chose to give birth to her sixth child at the Atipe Health Centre. She now encourages all expectant mothers she knows not to wait until the time of delivery to go to the hospital.
“I ask pregnant women not to risk their babies and their own life by giving birth at home. Atipe Health Centre is here with staff ready to attend to you every minute, check your blood pressure, and help when there is a uterus rupture or during bleeding.”
Story by Damalie Mukama Natukunda, Sponsorship Correspondence Assistant and Fred Ouma, Development Communications Coordinator, World Vision Uganda