Wednesday, April 15, 2015

What are the ODDS?



Haiti, and midwifery, are full of  surprising (or shocking...it just depends) experiences, but Monday morning was yet another one.  Just what are the odds this could happen--? On a once-a-month visit to Dos Palis,  the Mobile Prenatal Clinic arrives in the village, we set up tables and supplies in the empty concrete church, the benches fill with pregnant ladies,...then one of them walks in, to the head of the line, gives a loud shriek, and starts pushing her baby out?   She was moved to the "GYN corner" table, Magdala Jude (trained in Midwives for Haiti Class 2) gloved and performed a very straightforward delivery, and I received the newborn baby, a healthy 6-lb girl who came out yelling like her mom.  In this case, I really think the clinic may have saved the lady's life, since soon after the birth she had a big blood loss that required more than the usual medicines.  We had all the necessary stuff, however, including oxytocin and misoprostol, though how the midwives find them in those dusty suitcases is beyond me.   The new mom was quickly stable, then rested for most of the morning on a clean sheet.  Mostly she rested on the table, but a few times, we needed to examine someone on it,  at which time she sat on a nearby bench, nursing her baby.  I bought her a bottle of juice, and someone brought her clean clothes. So, what are the odds of giving birth at the clinic that comes in a Jeep one morning a month?  Did she labor all night, waiting for us?  Did she walk to the clinic that morning, stopping along the dusty path for contractions?  How far did she come?  The village "matwon" (traditional birth attendant), who attends the local births, said "not far", but it's far enough ....By the end of the morning, she walked out to the road with a little help, and got a motorcycle taxi to take her home, baby wrapped in her arms and a couple clean blankets.   I truly do think think it could have saved her life.  As we're fond of saying at my midwifery practice at home: You Could Not Make this Stuff Up!!

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