I was very lucky almost 21 years ago to deliver a very healthy baby with the help of wonderful hospital staff in a state-of-the-art hospital. 3 years later I was blessed again. No complications, no problems.
I know some of my readers have had complicated births and are very grateful for the medical staff and facilities that were available to help them.
But did you know that every day, worldwide, 287,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth. That’s one mother dying every 2 minutes, 800 each day. Another 7-10 million women and girls suffer severe or long lasting illnesses caused by complications in pregnancy and childbirth. These women do not need to suffer and die; most lives could be saved relatively easily and cheaply.
Part of the problem is that women and girls often have very low status in developing countries and empowerment and education are central to enabling them to make their own decisions and allowing them to access maternal health and family planning services.
The risk of dying increases with the number of pregnancies a woman has in her lifetime. Risk is particularly high for those with four or more children.
Where women live can also have a major impact on whether they can reach the level of maternal health services which they need. Many women in rural areas may live several hours away from the nearest health center and transport may be limited or costly. There may be few roads or other barriers such as mountain ranges and rivers which make it very difficult to reach care.
Maternity Worldwide believes that no woman or girl should die giving birth. Through their integrated approach to maternal health they:
- Provide communities with information on maternal health and family planning
- Empower women by providing opportunities for them to set up their own businesses
- Improve access to health centers and hospitals
- Train local midwives and doctors to enable them to provide safe births
- Where necessary, we provide the equipment and resources needed so hospitals and health centers can enable women to give birth safely
Maternity Worldwide has worked in 11 developing countries, in Africa, Haiti, and the Middle East since 2002 to save the lives of mothers and babies.
How You Can Help:
You can save a life by sponsoring a safe birth (roughly $25) or an emergency caesarean (roughly $82).
By ordering a Safe Birth Certificate you will enable a mother in a developing country to safely give birth to her baby. Long after the bubble bath has been used you will have given a lasting gift which will save a mother’s life and enable her baby to grow up with their mum.
A Safe Birth Certificate can be personalized with your own message and either sent directly to the recipient or to you to give to them.
Click here for more information and to donate if you desire. (Please keep in mind that Maternity Worldwide’s website is British so all donation amounts are listed in pounds. Donation amounts will be converted to dollars upon checkout.)
I think my brother and sister-in-law would love this gift. My nephew is just a little over a year old and my sister-in-law works with at-risk youth.
Leave a comment below and let me know:
Who in your family or friends would appreciate the gift of saving a life?
