LÎNA EL-XETÎB

Idlib- Thousands of pregnant women live in IDPs camps located in Idlib, northern Syria. Although they have to have a prenatal visit every month, they cannot because they have no access to healthcare services for many reasons.

Salam Al-Jadoua says that pregnant women in IDPs camps face difficult living conditions and poverty and the lack of healthcare services have doubled their suffering.

‘I do not know how I will be transferred to hospital’

A six-month pregnant woman (22) in the Ma'arrat Misrin camp has been experiencing an uncertain period and that uncertainty frightens her. “Doctor told me that I should get enough nutrients during my pregnancy to protect my baby and myself,” she told NuJINHA. “However, I cannot buy vegetables and fruits due to their high prices. My baby will be born unhealthy due to malnutrition. In addition, the closest health center is far from the camp. I do not know how I will be transferred to hospital when labor pain starts.”

She died after giving birth

The maternal mortality rate in IDPs camps is very high. Ola Al-Asaad (26) was a displaced woman living in a IDPs camp of Idlib. She died while giving birth. “Her labor pains started late in the evening. We had to get help from a midwife living in a nearby village,” her mother, Sanaa Al-Adl, said. “After giving birth, she lost too much blood so we took her to the closest hospital, five miles away from us. She died before we reached the hospital.”

33-year-old Hanan Al-Bakour died in the seventh month of her pregnancy. “My daughter was pregnant with preeclampsia. She suffered from high blood pressure and her kidneys and liver did not work normally. Her health condition deteriorated due to high blood pressure and she died in the seventh month of her pregnancy,” said her mother, Ayoush Al-Bakour.

‘Malnutrition causes maternal deaths’

Pregnant women in IDPs camps suffer from hunger and malnutrition,” said gynecologist Maram Alwan. “Malnutrition causes maternal deaths. The lack of healthcare services and the decrease in the number of specialists cause pregnant women not to have a prenatal visit every month. This situation affects the health of displaced women in the camps and causes pregnant women to go through the hardest months of their lives. Pregnant women need to access healthcare services every month.”