Samaritan’s Purse is training traditional birth attendants and providing prenatal care for expectant mothers.
Families in the highlands of northern Vietnam live far from economic centers and lack convenient access to basic medical care. In many cases, new and expectant mothers have never been taught the importance of regular prenatal and postnatal care. They don’t know the warning signs to look for during their pregnancy that could indicate they need medical attention.
The Samaritan’s Purse safe motherhood project is training village healthcare workers and traditional birth attendants, so that they are better equipped to care for mothers and their babies and to help them thrive. They’re learning critical questions to ask women during their pregnancies and helping them become more confident in their ability to care for themselves and their children.
A health care provide signs in an expecting mother for a mobile checkup at a remote clinic in the highlands of Vietnam.
Samaritan’s Purse is also hosting safe motherhood mobile checkups where experienced medical professionals travel to remote health centers and provide individual consultations for pregnant women. Many of these women are unable to visit a hospital or birthing center. Many first-time mothers are coming and learning more about what to expect during pregnancy. Some husbands are also accompanying their wives in order to learn how to best support them.
Checkups Offer Much for Expecting Mothers
Ca Thi Dan heard about the checkups from a Samaritan’s Purse-trained birth attendant. She had been meeting with the birth attendant and learning things like the importance of taking iron and calcium supplements while pregnant to prevent anemia. She learned even more during her checkup at the health clinic.
“All the advice I learned from the traditional birth attendant is really important and essential,” she said. “I am glad she told me about the checkups at the clinic, because I learned more about the process of pregnancy. I also gained valuable advice from medical staff about how to have a good diet.”
After her consultation at the safe motherhood checkup, Ca Thi Dan knows that she needs to increase her protein intake and refrain from rigorous farm work until she gives birth. She said she plans to encourage other women to participate in the mobile checkups.
A health care provider gives a care package to an expecting mother at her checkup.
Another expectant mother, Chao Chi Ngoan, also went for a checkup. Even though this was her fourth pregnancy, her age made the pregnancy a high-risk case.
“This is the first time I went to this medical clinic. I am thankful they told me my iron levels were low and that I should take iron supplements,” she said.
She received the supplements as well as a care package that included items such as soap to help keep her and her family healthy.
Her husband went with her to the checkup and said he is grateful for the care his wife received. “It is really important to have checkups for my child’s health and my wife’s health. We will come back to this clinic before she gives birth.”
The Samaritan’s Purse safe motherhood project is not only providing life-saving knowledge to pregnant women, it is also helping to empower communities with critical maternal child health information that will pave the way for a healthier future.
Please pray for women in the highlands of Vietnam as they seek to provide the best care possible for their children. Pray for our staff as they demonstrate God’s love through this project and others.
