So I'll tell you a little about the area that I'm based at the moment...
Cavite is the smallest province in the Calabarzon region of the Philippines.
It occupies land area of 1,427.06 square kilometres (550.99 sq mi).
Cavite has a total population of approximately 3,090,601 making it the most populous and the second most densely-populated province in the country. The population density of the province based on the census of 2010 is 2,200/sq km or 5,600/sq mile.
It's difficult to know exactly how many are living here. It is thought that only around 60 % of births are being registered. This means that any statistics or reports released by the government aren't a true representation of the situation here in the Philippines.So many areas here in Cavite are way below the poverty line, hundreds of families live in small communities of shanti houses, some living on the street and families living in dump sites, making some kind of money by rummaging through the rubbish and selling the bottles and cans that they find. Many of the pregnant women living in these areas do not seek antenatal care during their pregnancy, and they give birth at 'home', sometimes alone, and sometimes being assisted by their partners or mother. These births are often not registered, so are completely unknown to the government; these children don't exist in the eyes of the law.
We have 3 medical students from Norway staying here at the moment and they are conducting a study to find out where women give birth and why they chose to give birth where they do. The results so far show that women would chose to give birth at home rather than their local hospital because the are scared of the staff in the hospital and the care [or lack of care] they would get there. This is not very surprising. In the local hospital here in Cavite between 3 and 5 women share a bed (3 maximum if they have had a cesarean section).
This is a picture i took when i visited a hospital showing the bed that they would typically use in the maternity bay. 5 women would lie across this bed, with their babies.
Women would have to pay for the care they received, the medication given to them, the equipment used...even the cotton wool used to change the baby's nappy. It's no surprise that women often resort to giving birth at home...as dangerous as it is.
In Cavite alone, pregnancy/ childbirth was the direct cause for 221 maternal deaths per 100,000 pregnancies in 2011. If we compare this with the statistic for the whole of the UK between 2006-2008 (3 years) the direct death rate was 4.67 per 100,000 pregnancies. Some of the orphans we have here at the base are here as a result of their mother giving birth at home, and losing her life because of a complication during the delivery.
For years, midwives here at MWB have been going out to deprived communities in Cavite to provide antenatal care to the pregnant women, and to educate them on child bearing and the importance of receiving medical assistance during the delivery. By doing so, a rapport was built and a trusting relationship was formed and women felt able to come here to the clinic to receive care before, during and after giving birth. The midwives are able to share God's word to these women whilst they are here, and demonstrate His love simply by loving them and caring for them during an important part of their lives. It's a wonderful demonstration of "Loving your neighbor as yourself" .
[Jesus said] For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25: 35-40
The maternity clinic here provides a wonderful service to these women.
They receive love, care and support in an environment that is safe.
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