The knowledge of the midwives in the labour ward is so important to the integration of the pregnancy care kit we have designed.  I have been able to meet with three midwives here, and we have begun to go through the kit’s user manual to make each procedure consistent with exactly how it is performed here.  Alexa and I have also been able to help these midwives take vital signs for their patients.  For example, today there are 24 women in the maternity ward, so this task is quite large for one midwife to complete.

At today’s morning doctor’s meeting, a case was presented in which the mother had eclampsia but waited until she was in labor to come to the hospital.  Due to complications that arose, the woman had to be taken into surgery, but the baby did not survive.  Physicians expressed their frustration with the fact that pregnant mothers often wait much too long before coming to the hospital.  Often, they believe that if they come early they will get a c-section, but that if they wait until they are in labour, the doctor will deliver the baby normally.  The doctors stated that there needs to be improved education for pregnant women. The matron replied that women are being told, and that the hospital does not have enough staff members to put someone solely on this task.