Happy couples celebrate safer births

A safe motherhood programme in the Gio Linh district of Vietnam means that expectant mothers are receiving expert care during pregnancy.

The district is in a coastal region where transport is often difficult, particularly for a woman in labour who might have to travel on foot for up to two hours to reach medical care. Many wives are left alone for long periods while their husbands are away fishing.

Under these circumstances, and because of the costs of medical care and a lack of knowledge of the danger signs during pregnancy and birth, women often choose to give birth at home. The safe motherhood programme aims to both educate and support women, so that they can make better choices and increase the chances of a happy outcome for themselves and their babies.

Mrs Chung, a 38 year old woman from the Trung Giang commune, received pre-natal care and advice as a result of the project supported by Plan. She says, “I began to suffer from asthma straight after the birth of my first son eight years ago. It scared me off becoming pregnant again, as I was very worried about how I would cope, especially in the delivery”.

Her second son, delivered by obstetricians at the Gio Linh District Health Centre, is now two months old and thriving. The health education Mrs Chung was given as part of the programme meant that as soon as she recognised that she was pregnant, she visited the commune health station for advice. Her asthma and her relatively advanced age were risk factors, but the support and counselling that the health station provided made her feel more confident about the process.

She received regular check-ups throughout the pregnancy and was given tetanus vaccinations and folic acid. She and her husband were also given advice on eating healthily, taking proper rest, and how to choose a safe place for the birth.

When the labour pains started, she went immediately to the health station with her relatives. They transferred her to the District Health Centre, where qualified staff were able to provide her with comprehensive care, and her baby was delivered after a long labour. After eight days she was able to return home, and she received regular visits from the commune health staff to monitor her progress.

Mrs Chung says, “I don’t know how to express my sincere thanks to the physicians and midwives at the hospital who saved my son and my life during my time there. The health workers there were very enthusiastic and the facilities were very good as well”.