A recent study highlights the grave risks faced by pregnant women in conflict areas, revealing that half of all maternal deaths during pregnancy or childbirth occur in these unstable regions. Maternal mortality rates in such contexts are more than 40 times higher compared to those in more stable developing countries, according to International NGO CARE Australia.
The research underscores the dire situation of women like Yasmeen, a resident of Gaza, who experienced the joy of pregnancy after nine years of IVF, only to face the horrors of war shortly after becoming pregnant. Yasmeen’s ordeal was compounded by the discovery that she was carrying triplets, necessitating extensive medical care and creating additional challenges.
Yasmeen’s pregnancy was marked by severe difficulties. With the outbreak of war, she faced immense anxiety over finding a suitable hospital, as her intended facility in Gaza City was unable to accommodate her. The hospital lacked essential resources, including anesthesia for her C-section, forcing Yasmeen and her husband to flee through a checkpoint in search of safer conditions.
Throughout her pregnancy, Yasmeen required multiple medications, including anticoagulants, vitamins, and dietary supplements. Her husband struggled to obtain these supplies due to financial constraints and banking issues, exacerbating their already precarious situation. The family’s struggles intensified as they were displaced multiple times due to heavy bombardment.
Despite their challenges, Yasmeen successfully delivered her triplets, although the premature babies faced complications such as pulmonary hemorrhage and a lack of available incubators. The family has been living in a tent near a hospital, struggling with inadequate resources, pollution, and scarce access to essential supplies like formula milk.
Yasmeen’s plea to the global community is urgent: “We are tired and fed up. We cannot withstand more. Show some mercy on these babies; they cannot live in these conditions.”
The report by CARE Australia reveals that approximately 35 million women gave birth in conflict zones in 2022, with many lacking access to basic medical care. The situation is particularly dire in Gaza, where pregnant women are three times more likely to miscarry and die during childbirth. In Sudan, two-thirds of health centers are non-operational, leaving pregnant women among the 150,000 displaced individuals without adequate care. The Democratic Republic of Congo faces severe malnutrition among over 600,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women due to ongoing conflict and food shortages.
Human Rights Activist Khadija Gbla, who fled conflict in Sierra Leone and now supports CARE Australia’s ‘Maternal Health in Conflict’ appeal, shares her perspective: “As a mother and former refugee, I understand the unimaginable stress of conflict and inadequate healthcare. We must do more to address these challenges.”
CARE Australia is working to improve conditions for women in conflict zones by training female health workers, funding health clinics, and providing essential supplies for childbirth and postnatal care. Donations will support these efforts, ensuring that pregnant women and their babies receive the critical care they need during such perilous times.
