Just a little information about a midwife’s role in the world:

Midwives- they are kind of an unusual commodity to the world.  In North America a midwife is viewed as someone who gives you a ‘choice’.  She provides women with the opportunity to have to the kind of birth experience they deem necessary for themselves.  This is all great and well.  After all, natural is the way God made things.  Midwives are often viewed as crazy people who take risky chances in offering women the option to have out- of-hospital births- that’s fine, but I’m more focused on what midwives mean for the rest of the world.

What most people don’t realize is what kind of commodity a midwife is said to be to the rest of the world. Here are a few statements to give you an idea.

“With an estimated 1,800 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Women from rural populations, like those in the Panjshir Valley, are at an even greater risk of dying during childbirth.

Many of these deaths could be prevented by the presence of a trained birth attendant or midwife.”

In parts of rural Afghanistan, there is a ratio of one midwife and one doctor to serve 30,000-60,000 people. This statistic is insane. When I think that it takes 30 midwives here at Mercy to serve about 600-800 women a week, I realize how much need the rest of the world has for woman’s healthcare providers.

” While the national maternal mortality rate varies from 130 to 135 out of 100,000 live births, in Vietnam, studies show that in some mountainous provinces, where women normally deliver babies without professional help, the rate is up to three times higher. Hemorrhage is the most common killer of mothers who die of delivery complications.”

Here are a few Infant and Maternal Mortality Statistics for you:

Haiti:

Total: 62.33 deaths/1,000 live births

Male: 66.88 death/ 1,000 live births

Female: 57.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Highest Infant Mortality Rate- Angola:

Total: 182.31 deaths/1,000 live births

Male: 194.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 169.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Philippines:

Total: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 18.42 deaths/1,000 live births

MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES

Afghanistan: 1,800 deaths/100,000 women

Sierra Leone: 2,100 deaths/100,000 women

Philippines: 230 deaths/100,000 women

Besides the drastically low ratio of midwives, doctors, and nurses to birthing women, there’s another positive on the midwife’s side.

In some countries, specifically Muslim countries, a midwife can walk in almost any door, so to speak, because she is needed- obviously from such high infant and maternal mortality rates.  She’s there in moments of life and what could turn into moments of death for so many women and their families. She meets the people where they are in moments when so much hangs in the balance between life and death. What a beautiful way to be used in the Lord’s hands.

I don’t say all these things to brag or take pride in what I feel God has called me to, but rather to show to you what I feel the reasons behind His call on my life are. 

The update:

This has been a long time coming and I’m sorry to those of you who think I’ve vanished from the face of the earth.  I haven’t reached that point. J  You might find me buried behind some text books, under piles of birth paper work for the baby I just delivered or sorting through prenatal charts of the 20 women I just did prenatals on, but I have not vanished.

It’s been a good month around here, but not without its challenges. Praise the Lord that HIS mercies are new EVERY morning!

September 17^th I came on day shift and was endorsed a mother, named Irene. Only her vitals had been taken as she had just arrived at the clinic a few minutes before endorsements. Her care was endorsed to me from a night shift midwife, so I could further evaluate where she was on this journey of labor. From looks she didn’t seem like she was too ‘active’- a word we like to use to describe certain phases of labor. I further evaluated her and decided to keep her since I felt it would not be too terribly long- in labor hours that is- that we would meet her little baby. As I continued my evaluation a few things seem to be of kilter with her prenatal history and the information I had gathered from my assessment. I talked it over with my supervisor and since there seemed to be enough reasons to cover for the only slightly off information I had gathered, we decided to keep her.

It was a busy day with people coming in and out of the clinic, already delivered mothers arriving with their little bundles for check-ups, prenatals going on, babies being born, etc.

I carefully evaluated Irene often making sure nothing was screaming “complications!” Six hours later as I was carefully evaluating the situation again, I really felt something was not right even if the history didn’t jump out to tell us. I discussed this with my amazing supervisor and she went in to further evaluate Irene. With her own evaluation she confirmed my thoughts, which would normally require transport to DMC- the government hospital, but Irene wasn’t going to wait for us to drive her to the hospital.

Little Princess was born within a few minutes weighing just barely 4lbs. She certainly didn’t have the healthiest last couple months inside her mommy’s warm tummy. She was small for her gestational age, growth restricted, had very little amniotic fluid- a condition called oligohydramnios, and had already passed meconium in utero. She was born limp, but had a good heart rate. It took her a while to respond to my stimulation and resuscitation efforts, but I finally got a couple good breaths out of her and quickly transported her to the hospital as she was showing some very obvious signs of Respiratory Distress Syndrome.  Her care was endorsed to the doctor on duty and I headed back to take care of Irene who did great.

Just two days later on September 19, I came on day shift again with a team of three other midwives. We were endorsed two laboring mamas and just as we finished our endorsements, the guard outside said, “Laaaboooor”. Within a few minutes we heard it again, “Laaaabooor.”   A few more minutes passed as we were all busy tending to the mothers in our care and we heard it again, “Laaaabooor.” We had five labors at this point- all of which would quickly give birth in three hours.  My laboring mother, Almera, was the second to deliver. She had been in labor for most of the night and had experienced no complications. Baby Hazel Mae was born after about 35 minutes of intense pushing on mommy’s part- all was normal except for one drop in her heart tones to 60bpm, which recovered and stayed normal for the remaining part of this stage of labor. She was born- all 8lbs of her chunky little body- into my hands, but I didn’t get much of a response from her either. She was the perfect size, not so tiny and undernourished like little Princess, but that didn’t make much of a difference. My birth team and I started resuscitation efforts and continued until we finally got her to breath for us. Her efforts were labored and she had very obviously experienced some asphyxia. So I packed my newly born bundle and the oxygen tank and off we went again to DMC.  Again, the care of the baby was endorsed to the doctor on duty and I headed back to Mercy to take care of Almera.

 On the way home from the hospital I asked God, “What are You wanting me to learn from this? Two babies in a row? I know there’s got to be something, but you’re going to have to show me what it is.”  Later as I was reading my Bible I came across this verse, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

That’s it- that’s just what He wanted me to know- it doesn’t matter how many life and death situations or complications I come across whether related to caring for mothers and babies or whether it be something else, HIS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING and HIS FAITHFULNESS IS GREAT!  I’ve seen it over and over again on this journey, but sometimes I just need to be reminded.

I’ve been to see Princess and Hazel in the hospital a few times. Princess seems to be a fighter- little or not, she’s gaining weight and doing so well! Hazel is struggling a little, but she’s doing okay.  Please keep these families in your prayers. DMC is a difficult place for them to be, especially since their income doesn’t budget for long hospital stays.

In other BIG NEWS, my PARENTS are coming to visit me in just two and a half weeks! I’m SO excited to have them here and give them a peak into what life is like here.  Please pray for safety as they travel.

I’m sure most of you have heard about the Typhoon that devastated parts of Metro Manila yesterday- Sept. 26^th. They estimated in the nine hours of pouring rain they received, that it was more rain than Manila gets in six months time.  Over 50 people have been reported dead and many parts of Manila are still under several feet of water. Please pray for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

Right now, we the midwives and leaders of Mercy, are working to join with a doctor who serves 40 rural villages in a province about 5 hours from here. We are attempting to rotate midwives every two weeks or so out to these villages to

-          Develop 12 modules of basic teachings to train TBAs (traditional birth attendants) to do basic prenatal, labor, delivery, and postpartum care in their villages with supplies that are available to them

-          To learn and teach F-A-I-T-H  (food always in the house) Gardening to these 40 villages as well as terrace gardening , raising goats and rabbits, and water filtration

-          To assist the doctor in her efforts to provide primary health, prenatal, labor, and delivery care to these people.

Please pray that the Lord will lead us down the path He would have us to travel concerning these efforts. Pray that He will provide wisdom and discernment for those in leadership over this project, and pray that the Lord will be glorified in these efforts.

I’ll close now. Tomorrow is another day- full of the unknown- yet we know the promises of God and His faithfulness to keep them on a daily basis never ever fails! Praise Him!!

Thank for your love, support and prayers. I’m blessed and I pray blessings on each of you!

Love,
Bethany

but May and half of June have whizzed passed me with hardly a moment to notice. Well, I guess not quite so intensely. My traveling home went well. God was gracious and poured is favor on me in airports and immigration. What a blessing! Thank you to all who prayed!

My visit home has been great! I've been able to accomplish all the things, well most of the things, I needed to accomplish. I was able to make it home for the birth of my little sister. God answered many prayers on the timing of her birth and blessed me by allowing me to be present for the event. I've been blessed and refreshed by seeing and spending time with my family and church family. Bethel, you have no idea how much you're missed and how blessed I am by all of you! I was able to take a five day trip to KY to visit the Headys- the missionaries I worked with in Haiti- since they happened to be in the States during the same time. I was also able to meet one of my really good friends from NY in KY the same week. It was such a great visit with both of them. The Lord provided all I needed down to the very last, small detail through people who probably don't even know God was using them to answer my prayers. I was blessed by the caring women that were interested in the Filipino mothers I work with and threw a baby shower, showering me with LOADS of baby clothes, hats, gloves, booties, and blankets to take back with me. Thanks to all you wonderful women! I know your gifts will be a blessing!

Friday evening I'm headed back; back to the hustle and bustle of life as a midwife. The summer will be full; full of people coming and going, of babies being born, and assignments to do. Since I've started saying my goodbyes I'm ready to get this show on the road and get back into the swing of things in the Philippines.

Please pray that:

-Traveling will go well

-I'll be able to adjust to the time change quickly and easily

-I'll have the strength and energy to hit the ground running and accomplish all I need to during the summer months

Thank you all for your love, support, and encourgement! I'm continually humbled and amazed at how God is using you all in my life.

Love to all!

-Beth

Hello All,
 
First let me just say I'm so thankful to each of you for your prayers on behalf of the Lumba family and the twin girls. I went to see Kyra Hope at the hospital Thursday evening. Her tiny little body had deteriorated much from just the few hours previous when I admitted her to the hospital. Another midwife and I were able to stay with the Lumba family for a while and pray for them, but we knew it was only a matter of minutes to a few hours before her little heart stopped beating. Little Kyra Hope passed away on April 23, 2009 at 10:00pm. Our hearts are heavy and I've spent much time grieving with the family.  Please continue to pray for Joy, Chito and little baby Hannah as they mourn their loss and rejoice in the HOPE that we have in Christ.
 
 
Also, please pray for all of us here at Mercy. It's been a long and discouraging week. We've had 4 babies die this week. None at Mercy, but care was transferred to the hospital and the deaths took place there. It's difficult for us since we really spend a lot of time investing in our mothers and babies.
 
Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement! I'm continually blessed by your loving care.
 
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.
Ephesians 1:18
 
Blessings,
Beth