Chapter Six - Maternal Mortality

[Ann]

Reading about fistula's, obstructed labour and Simeesh's story was so harrowing I could hardly continue.
I have to say, I had no idea of the extent of this problem.

That even one woman (well, she was a girl) would be forced to crawl, endure paralysis and leaking urine and faeces that would make her a pariah, all due to giving birth at such a young age, was something my brain could not take in.
That there are whole legions of girls suffering due to the same community attitudes and lack of facilities was horrific.

[Ellen]

I had no idea the extent of this problem either, not just how many women still die in childbirth but also how many of those who survive are injured so horrifically. I'm glad the book took a chapter to talk about this because of all the issues they address this is one I feel like I never hear about.

I noticed that MSF has a page about fistulas on their website http://www.msf.org.uk/fistula and that the Fistula Foundation are linking to Emma's interview with Half the Sky's authors https://www.fistulafoundation.org/

[Ann]

Ellen said, "the Fistula Foundation are linking to Emma's interview with Half the Sky's authors https://www.fistulafoundation.org/ ..."

hello Ellen, thanks for posting that important link.

[Heather]

I was also profoundly changed by the birthing issues that Half The Sky brought to light, for me. I can't get over the fact that "the equivalent of five jumbo jets worth of women die in labor each day, but the issue is almost never covered" (p 98). 536,000 women perish in childbirth or pregnancy each year? In my 44 years, I have never heard these numbers and I am a college educated person who works as a sustainability engagement member and community builder. I am thinking that our global awareness and our political policies need to be critically examined. However, I realize that change is hard, multi-faceted, and often slow. I am thankful for the awareness that reading this book has delivered.

[Caroline]

Heather wrote: "I was also profoundly changed by the birthing issues that Half The Sky brought to light, for me. I can't get over the fact that "the equivalent of five jumbo jets worth of women die in labor each d..."

Though not reading this book at the moment, I came across you statement and like you I'm startled that it's half a million women. How tragic when many would be preventable.