While I have not ever given, nor witnessed a birth before, I cannot truly relate to those mothers and families out there who have. The closest I come to knowing about the experience, is from what my own mother has told me about mine. She found out she was pregnant immediately after graduating high school. As she had only been with my father for a month or two, she debated even telling him she was pregnant. She soon realized that she did not want me growing up without a father and upon my dad hearing my mom was pregnant, they married two months later. After 24 years of marriage now, both my parents talked about my birth as the scariest and most exciting times in their lives.
My mother had to be induced as I was well past the two week period after my initial due date and with her contractions, her blood pressure dropped immensely. With modern medicine (by early 1990's standards), they were able to clear her from the red and even helped treat me as I was diagnosed with jaundice at birth. Compared to many developing nations, the simple act of being able to successfully induce, treat the mother, deliver the baby, and treat any conditions, is something that we are blessed with. The simple fact that the hospital admitted my mother is something that women in South Africa struggle with. Medical News Today wrote an article on how maternal death rates in South Africa have been increasing while the world's rates have been decreasing. "According to the United Nations, approximately 4,500 women die annually in South Africa due to treatable and preventable pregnancy and childbirth related causes" (Nordqvist, 2011, para.6). If my mother had given birth in South Africa, there is a high possibility neither of us would be here today.
Reference
Nordqvist, C. (n.d.). The Shocking Truth About Giving Birth In South Africa. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232413.php
Reference
Nordqvist, C. (n.d.). The Shocking Truth About Giving Birth In South Africa. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232413.php
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy hearing stories about mothers giving birth. Although my oldest daughter is 26 years old, I remember the day she was born as clearly as if it were happening right now. It's kind of one of those moments that happen in your life that absolutely amaze you. I really believe that God set it up that way so parents would have a profound memory of instant love to draw back on when their little bundles of joy turned into teenagers. (just kidding)
I must admit, I was smiling as I was reading your post until near the end of it. It is so terrible to understand that mothers in South Africa are dying to have children due to lack health care which is something that we all to often take for granted. What is your opinion on the Affordable Care Act and its influence on prenatal health care?
Thank you for sharing your story with us. It is amazing the technology that we have, even in the 90's, to treat both mother and baby! I also chose to learn more about the South African culture in regards to giving birth and that statistic that you shared is jaw dropping! In the information that I gathered, mothers give birth alone in that culture so that would explain the high death rate unfortunately. As I was reading the information that I had found on South Africa it did not even occur to me that the death rate would probably be so high because medical professionals are not involved in any way.
ReplyDeleteMy post was very similar to yours as I had no experience with giving or witnessing childbirth so like you, I asked my mom about mine. Being pregnant and actually giving birth seems scary to me, but I hope I get to experience it one day. You're right that we are very lucky to have access to modern medicine, hospitals, and doctors and nurses. Like you mentioned, South African cultures are not that fortunate. I read up on West African cultures and it was shocking. Great post!
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