Ghanaian actress and entrepreneur, Fella Makafui, has disclosed that she used to cough up blood during the first 3 months of her pregnancy journey.
This was when she was pregnant with her daughter, Island.
According to her, she went through challenging moments, including losing weight drastically because she lost her appetite for food.
“The first 3 months were hell for me, I was literally sick. I lost weight because I had zero appetite. I could cough and cough blood, it was that bad. Along the line, I had to do CS because Island couldn’t turn well. I didn’t want to do CS, I wanted to deliver a normal birth, but I had no choice,” she told Pulse Ghana during an interview.
Adding that “I was actually awake throughout the process, I was seeing myself because of the CS. I had 2 doctors, one on my left and one on my right. I could just feel myself moving, like they are forcing something to come out, but I wasn’t feeling any pain. The doctors kept asking if I was okay?”
She also revealed that she underwent a caesarean section when her doctors told her the baby was unable to turn well in her womb.
Describing the process, Fella said she was fully conscious and saw everything with her own eyes during the procedure.
She felt no pain, but she could detect that the doctors were forcing something out of her stomach.
“The funny part was, I turned myself to watch the other nurse on my left side, that’s when I saw this mirror and I saw my stomach, then I panicked because it was so scary and traumatising. I didn’t know that’s what was going on so it was scary and I think a few minute later, I heard the baby’s cry. I remember that I was just crying especially when they brought Island. My partner then was asked to be inside but I think he was scared so he was outside, and they just rushed the baby to him. It was a very good experience,” she said.
Fella Makafui is an actress and a young lady who came into the limelight through a TV series titled ” Yolo.”
She got married to rapper Medikal in the year 2020 but the marriage could not survive in the 4th year.
Their separation came with one daughter called Island, who is currently in the care of Fella Makafui.
Nollywood actress and successful businesswoman,Chika Ike,has thrilled fans with the news of her first pregnancy at 39.
She shared beautiful photos of her baby bump, dressed in an elegant, royal-inspired outfit, and glowing with happiness.
The announcement quickly spread online, with many fans and celebrities, including Rita Dominic, Mercy Johnson, and Queen Nwokoye, congratulating her and sending their best wishes.
Chika, who divorced in 2013 after seven years of marriage, has kept her personal life private.
However, she has spoken in the past about her dream of becoming a mother.With this exciting news,2025 is set to be a special year for her.
Ghanaian actress and socialiteAkuapem Poloo has denied rumors about her alledged pregnancy.
The rumors started when a guest shared videos of their fun moments together on social media.
While many fans enjoyed their playful interaction, some sharp-eyed viewers noticed what looked like a slight belly bulge, which Poloo seemed to be hiding.
This sparked numerous comments, with some fans pointing out the detail and others jumping to congratulate her.
Reacting to the rumors, Poloo clarified that she is not pregnant but believes it will happen “in God’s own time.”
She attributed the confusion to the loose-fitting abaya she wore during the video, which may have exaggerated the appearance of her midsection.
As a proud mother of one,Akuapem Poloo said she is currently focused on investing into her son and business.
In the aftermath of delivering two healthy sons, Mary Amoah Kuffour never imagined that her lone daughter could be facing a medical issue.
Nana Yaa began displaying peculiar behaviors at the tender age of three. She scarcely communicated and would repetitively flap her hands in an unusual manner when distressed.
Each passing year, Mary tirelessly sought explanations for her daughter’s conduct. When Nana Yaa reached the age of six, physicians finally revealed the truth to her mother: Nana Yaa was diagnosed with autism.
Autism is a medical disorder that impacts brain development and cognitive functions. It exists on a spectrum ranging from mild to severe and affects approximately one out of every hundred children, according to the World Health Organization.
The condition’s cause remains unknown, yet regrettably, in Ghana, as in numerous regions globally, individuals with autism are often stigmatized as “spiritual children” or victims of witchcraft.
“It comes as a shock, especially when you ask if there’s something you could do. Do they have any medications? Because you don’t see any visible signs on the child to say that he or she has any form of disability and so for this to be termed as a disability it’s shocking,” says Mary. “When you ask and they tell you there’s no cure, nobody wants to hear that.”
Breaking that stigma is something that Afi Antonio, the founder of the Afi Antonio Foundation, which helps kids with autism, is really trying hard to do.
One in ten children suffer from a neurological illness, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet few people are aware of it in various places of the world, including Ghana.
“When I started, some people were like, ‘Afi, you are yet to have children so be careful associating with these children so you don’t have a child like that,’” recalls Antonio.
“Which is really sad that people will even think that way because autism is not contagious. A lot also say that they are cursed children. As at now, we still have people who kill their children when they are born with these conditions.”
The majority of individuals, akin to Nana Yaa, who receive timely assistance in their development, progress to lead rich and contented lives. In fact, certain characteristics of ASD have been linked to exceptional intelligence.
Several of history’s most exceptional intellects have autism, and numerous specialists posit that renowned figures such as Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton exhibited ASD traits.
“Many of them will do well, it depends on what you do for them especially early on in life. If they get the therapy early, get all the support early, they are able to do generally well and become productive adults,” says Dr. Hilda Mantebea Boye, a childcare specialist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.While the exact origin of autism remains unclear, scientists in the United States and Sweden have established a correlation between prenatal exposure to air pollution and a heightened likelihood of the disorder in infants.
Harmful pollutants in the atmosphere, known as fine particulate matter, infiltrate the bloodstream of expectant mothers and can impact the brain development of the fetus during critical phases.
“During the first trimester, certain environmental exposures affect various parts of the baby’s formation,” says Dr. Promise Sefogah, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist at the Shape Healthcare Medical Center.
“When the woman gets exposed to pollutants in the air, they tend to affect the brain-related development or the nervous system development of the baby and that can lead to a lot of brain-related abnormalities in the baby.”
In addition to influencing cognitive capacities, children diagnosed with autism may exhibit heightened susceptibility to air pollution, resulting in allergic reactions and sensory issues.
Medical professionals assert that air pollution, particularly stemming from practices like open incineration and vehicle discharges, also places children at jeopardy of encountering additional severe cognitive and neurological developmental issues.
Despite the Ghanaian government’s efforts to address air pollution and enhance air quality, the issue is deteriorating. Accra, Africa’s fastest-growing city, is experiencing a population boom, which has led to increased open burning, vehicle emissions, and factory discharges—the main contributors to poor air quality. In areas like Agbogbloshie, one of Ghana’s largest informal settlements, pollution from open-air burning is rampant.
The incineration of waste at the nearby landfill, coupled with scrap scavengers burning electronic waste using tires, forces residents and traders to continually breathe polluted air, resulting in widespread illness.
The incineration of waste at the landfill site near the market, along with the use of tires by scrap scavengers to burn electronic waste, causes residents and traders to constantly breathe polluted air, leading to illness.
“My children complain about the smoke in this area. They are not happy,” says Fati Fuseini, a trader at Agbogbloshie market with three young children. “They are not able to stay and sleep over when they come here, they leave for their fathers.”
government has initiated plans to launch public awareness campaigns in Agbogbloshie, establish a drop-off point for discarding electronic waste, and encourage the separation of plastics to enhance recycling efforts as part of their strategy to address the issue.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other stakeholders are also monitoring air quality in highly polluted areas, including Agbogbloshie, to inform Ghanaians about hazardous pollution levels daily. They are revising air quality management regulations and developing a plan to address pollution from road transport, particularly from minibuses, known as trotros, in Accra.
While the government takes these measures, health experts advise that highly polluted areas should be avoided by pregnant women. If they must enter these areas, they should wear nose masks to protect themselves and their babies from the dangers of air pollution.
The International Child Development Program (ICDP) Ghana launched the SafeStart Program at Kitase in the Akwapim South Municipality on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.
This initiative, in partnership with Ultrasound Consulting International (UCI) USA and in collaboration with Ghana Health Services, introduces Portable Ultrasound Machines to rural communities to improve healthcare access and reduce preventable maternal deaths in Ghana-West Africa through diagnostic medical sonography.
The program aims to enhance maternal health and contribute to Ghana’s achievement of SDG 3.
Madam Emily Amponsah, the Municipal Director of Ghana Health Services, expressed profound appreciation to Ultrasound Consulting LLC of Florida for donating a portable ultrasound machine to support the health needs of pregnant mothers in the municipality.
She emphasized that the machine symbolized hope, empowerment, and the promise of healthier futures for rural mothers and their unborn babies.
Madam Joyce Larnyoh, Country Director of ICDP Ghana, reiterated that the acquisition of the Portable Ultrasound machine demonstrated a profound commitment to the well-being and dignity of every mother and child.
She highlighted the importance of ultrasound scans in monitoring pregnancies throughout the nine months, noting that the lack of access to such scans could lead to adverse outcomes that could otherwise be managed with early diagnosis.
Community members expressed their joy at having access to such a device close to their doorsteps at significantly reduced rates, eliminating the need to commute to district hospitals for similar services.
The program, currently piloted in the Akwapim-South Municipality, is set to be extended to all regions in Ghana over the next five years.
The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate has unveiled that approximately 86 percent of adolescent pregnancies in Tema are attributed to men aged between 20 and 39 years.
The Adolescent Health Advocate for the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, Doris Ocansey, disclosed this during an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
She highlighted that the conclusion drawn by her team was based on thorough research into the backgrounds of the men responsible for impregnating these girls, particularly in Tema Manhean.
Ms. Ocansey emphasized,“We collected the data so that we can also focus on the adults since they are impregnating the girls.”
The research findings indicated a significant age disparity between the adolescent girls and the men, making it challenging for the former to advocate for contraceptive use to prevent pregnancies effectively.
Furthermore, the data revealed that a considerable number of pregnant girls were junior high school graduates.
Ms. Ocansey issued a stern warning to men, urging them to refrain from engaging with adolescent girls to allow them to concentrate on their education and careers instead of bearing children at a tender age.
She elaborated that between January and December 2023, a total of 355 pregnant adolescents aged 10 to 14 and 331 aged 15 to 19 were enrolled in the municipality’s safety net program, designed to monitor and support them throughout their pregnancies.
Ms. Ocansey emphasized the program’s objectives, which include reducing repeated pregnancies among adolescents, lowering maternal mortality and morbidity rates, and promoting postpartum family planning.
“For some of the girls, this was not their first pregnancy, but their second or third. We want to stop that, so if you make the mistake of getting pregnant, you won’t have to fall back into it again,” she said.
Out of the enrolled participants, 42 were attending school before their pregnancies, with four in primary school, 26 in junior high school, and 12 in senior high school.
To ensure these girls do not drift after childbirth and engage in transactional sex, support is provided to help them decide whether to resume schooling or pursue vocational training or trading opportunities.
By the end of December 2023, 108 girls had opted to return to school post-delivery, 146 chose vocational training, 30 expressed interest in trading, and 37 remained undecided about their post-delivery plans.
Research into obstetric violence among Ghanaian women has uncovered that approximately two-thirds of pregnant individuals have experienced mistreatment at the hands of healthcare providers during labor andchildbirth.
Carried out by Dr Abena Yalley, a Ghanaian researcher based in Germany, along with her team, the study involved 2,142 mothers in the Western and Ashanti Regions, exploring cases of obstetric violence between September 2021 and February 2022.
The study, termed: “Humanizing the Birthing Process” sought to find out the factors impeding maternal and newborn deaths and the gaps between why many women accessed the antenatal care but did not translate into hospital deliveries and thus hampering the achievement of safe maternal care, morbidity, and mortality.
In Ghana, research had established that 310 deaths were recorded in 2017 out of 100,000 live births a major cause of worry to achieving some indicators of the SDGs.
Dr Abena Yalley at a dissemination workshop with nurses, midwives, doctors, women groups, and tutors of training institutions, said the burden of obstetrics violence in Ghanaian raised a matter of urgency.
“Obstetrics Violence in the facilities understudied manifested in the form of disrespect, lack of empathy, non-dignified care, neglect and abandonment, physical violence and non-consented.”
The Research noted shouting or yelling, beating of women in Labour, stitching of episiotomy without an aesthesia by health professionals after deliveries were some of the common but most dangerous practices in facilities.
The study established that women, particularly single mothers and teenage girls suffered most of these abuses.
The perceived impact of these negative tendencies demonstrated by health professionals according to the study had resulted in many women preferring traditional birth attendants to skilled birth attendants.
Women who had suffered this violence had also been affected either psychologically or emotionally and fear to attend facilities for deliveries.
A situation which the study established could reduce the gains on maternal and newborn deaths and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and AIDS.
The study recommended that curricula of Health institutions must be revisited, and students armed with information on giving human face to their work, strategic intervention to break the cycle of violence and complaints systems to enable the abuse channel grievances.
An American stand-up comedian and actress, Tiffany Haddish has candidly opens up about her history of pregnancy loss, revealing that she has experienced eight miscarriages.
The renowned comedian and star of Disney’s upcoming film “Haunted Mansion” shared her recent struggle with a miscarriage in an interview with “The Washington Post.”
“It just won’t keep anything in,” Haddish said in the July 20 article, which chronicled the 43-year-old’s phone call with her doctor’s office.
According to Haddish, her eighth miscarriage was attributed to having a uterus “shaped like a heart,” known as a bicornuate uterus.
Describing her conversation with her doctor’s office in the July 20 article, the 43-year-old actress expressed her frustration with her unique uterine condition.
A bicornuate uterus has a heart-shaped structure with a partial separation, causing potential issues during pregnancy as it may not fully expand to accommodate a growing baby.
The Cleveland Clinic explains that individuals with this condition have an increased risk of miscarrying.
During the interview, it was also revealed that Haddish may be dealing with endometriosis, a condition where uterine tissue grows outside the uterus, leading to pain, inflammation, and bleeding.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes that endometriosis is prevalent in almost 40% of women with infertility.
Despite her challenges, Haddish has chosen to keep her reproductive history private, sharing it only with a close friend. She expressed a preference for dealing with difficult times in solitude, away from public scrutiny.
In the past, the “Girls Trip” star had considered adoption as a means to become a mother. She even attended parenting classes in preparation. However, her busy work schedule in 2021 hindered the adoption process.
Haddish believes that bringing a child into her life requires undivided attention and dedication, emphasizing her desire to be fully present as a mother, offering the child her love and knowledge.
As she continues to navigate her journey towards parenthood, Tiffany Haddish remains strong and resilient, determined to find the right path to motherhood.
Davido’s Paris baby mama, Ivanna Bay, has disclosed her struggle with an ectopic pregnancy and the possibility of a miscarriage.
Sharing her story on social media, she described enduring persistent bleeding, intense pain, and an urgent trip to the emergency room.
“I just woke up with the biggest pain ever in my stomach but I can feel it through my entire body… While I keep bleeding I can’t stop crying right now… I am going to the emergency.”
Following her hospital update, where she criticized those finding joy in her misfortune, Ivanna Bay has now turned to social media once again to inform the public about the potential occurrence of a miscarriage.
“They told me that I am either doing an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage,” Bay wrote. “My body is failing me and there’s nothing I can do. I hope those who wish me hell are happy now…you won!.”
In the Ofoase Ayirebi constituency in the Eastern region, a hundred teenage mothers are facing difficulties in finding fathers for their children, as the men believed to be responsible for their pregnancies have denied any responsibility.
The Ark Development Organization, a non-profit organization implementing a UNICEF-funded intervention called “Safe and Protective Environment for Adolescent Development (SPREAD),” is actively working to combat the issue of teenage pregnancy in the area. According to their findings, they identified 153 teenage mothers in the district in 2022.
However, out of this number, a hundred children do not have any knowledge of their fathers.
During a sensitization program held in the Abenase community, David Kwaning, the Project Officer for the Ark Development Organization, shared concerning information with Starr News. He stated that they had identified 153 adolescent mothers, and the number continues to rise, with over 70 teenage mothers identified at the time of speaking. The most disheartening aspect of this situation is that a majority of the men responsible for impregnating these girls have refused to accept their responsibilities.
In one particular community, a girl claimed that three men were responsible for her pregnancy, but she couldn’t identify the specific person who impregnated her. This situation is deeply troubling, as it indicates that in the future, there may be over 100 children who do not know their fathers.
The Ofoase Ayirebi constituency in the Akyemansa District of the Eastern Region has been experiencing pervasive sexual and gender-based violence against minors. The alarming rates of early pregnancy are a direct result of many teenage girls falling victim to sexual abuse.
Starr News Eastern Regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah has uncovered numerous horrifying stories of these victims, who have suffered at the hands of perpetrators who roam freely.
One of these tragic stories involves a 14-year-old from Akyem Anyinase, whose identity is protected due to her status as a school-aged child. Her life took a nightmarish turn when a 60-year-old farmer exploited her vulnerability and subjected her to unspeakable abuse. The victim, who is now six months pregnant, revealed that the cousin of her abuser had initially impregnated her, but the abuser and his wife forced her to undergo an abortion. Tragically, the man later engaged in non-consensual sexual intercourse with her, resulting in her current pregnancy.
“I relocated from Akyem Anyinase to stay with him(abuser) at Akwatia when my father died. I stopped schooling and went to the farm with him. His cousin impregnated me but they aborted it. He sent me to a Clinic and they gave him some medicine so I drank one tablet and the wife inserted another into my vagina. Then later the man slept with me at Adwobie community when we go to farm and impregnated me. He threatened me not to tell anyone that if I do, he will send me to the shrine in his hometown to kill me. He brought me back to Akyem Anyinase and abandoned me that he is not responsible for the pregnancy because the baby doesn’t look like him.”
Rejected by her mother, a widow, she found a lifeline in the form of a compassionate woman, Abena Ampomaa, who is demanding justice for her.
“I want him to be arrested. How can a 60-year-old man do this to this innocent girl? You have also abandoned her and the baby,” Abena Ampomaa insisted.
Another victim, also 14 years old and in class six, had her future abruptly halted by a 20-year-old man who left her with a child at the tender age of 12.
Education became an unattainable dream as she faced the harsh realities of early motherhood.
“Things were difficult for me. My father couldn’t provide what I needed. So, I met a certain guy who said he wants us to date so he supports me. I agreed but I ruled out sexual intercourse. One day he lured me into his room and had sex with me which got me pregnant. I was 14 to 15 years. The baby is now 2 years. I want to continue my education outside this community because of stigma but it is difficult for me now the guy is unable to take care of us,” said Awurama.
These stories echo the pain endured by young girls in Kwaboadi No. 1 Junior High School, where this 17-year-old aspiring nurse who is nine months pregnant, fights to preserve her ambitions.
“I was Impregnated by a man who decided to take care of me because my mother couldn’t provide my needs. I am now nine months pregnant. I want to be a nurse. I am not happy with my situation. I won’t marry the man.”
In the Bontodiase community, two siblings were subjected to the horrifying ordeal of sexual abuse and subsequently impregnated by their abusers. The victims, a 17-year-old third-year junior high school student, and her 18-year-old sister in her first year in senior high school have had their lives forever altered.
The 18-year-old first-year Home Economics student of Ofoase Senior High School is facing expulsion from the school as a result of the pregnancy.
“They said they can’t allow a pregnant form one student to be in the school that if I were in form 2 or 3 they would have managed. So, I am in the house but after delivery, I will continue my education. I want to become a military officer.”
Kwadwo Kwaning, their distressed father, chose not to report the abuse, instead accepting money as an out of court settlement, unknowingly perpetuating the cycle of injustice.
In Akyem Akokoaso, two siblings, 15 and 12-year-old girls were abducted by a group of men riding motorcycles, commonly known as okada riders, and subjected to horrifying acts of gang rape within the confines of a single room.
Sadly, the 12-year-old girl, just a child herself, now carries the burden of a five-month pregnancy.
The grandmother of the victims is demanding justice.
“Their mother travelled to Saudi Arabia but suffered stroke before returning to Ghana. So, I have been taking care of her two daughters. So, it is painful what these Okada people have done to my daughter. Sadly, the mother of the guy is threatening to invoke curses on my daughter if he insists the boy is responsible for the pregnancy,” Madam Hagan told Starr News.
Dreams shattered, education abandoned, and futures left hanging by a thread. These girls, once full of hope, now battle against overwhelming odds.
Stephania Amissah Brikorang, in charge of Girl Child Education in the Akyemansa District Education Directorate, said most of the abusers are Okada riders. She cited an instance where an Okada rider impregnated three students in same school.
Currently only nine (9) of the BECE candidates are pregnant in the district a marginal success attributed to the SPREAD Project.
“The rate of teenage pregnancy in our district was very high but due to this intervention, the rate has reduced so we are praying that the message that we have sent across the children will inculcate so it helps them abstain to reduce teenage pregnancy and then help them in their education. Last year I had 10 BECE candidates pregnant and this year around 8 or 9. The form two students pregnant is very high; about 12 in the district,” Stephania Amissah Birikorang said.
The District Education Director, Akua Ayisi said the rising sexual assault incidence points to a deep-rooted issue—poverty which makes girls vulnerable to manipulative abusers.
She said the inability of teenage girls to afford things as basic as sanitary pads can lead to desperate measures that make them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
According to the WHO, girls who give birth before adulthood are likely to bear increased health risks, social stigma, and adverse economic impacts for the rest of their lives.
The SDG Target 3.7, therefore, seeks to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes of countries
Ark Development Organization, in collaboration with UNICEF, has been actively implementing a two-year initiative named “Safe and Protective Environment for Adolescent Development (SPREAD)” in the Akyemansa District. This project has achieved significant progress over the past two years in combating the widespread issue of sexual and gender-based violence.
David Kwaning, the Project Officer of Ark Development Organization, shared that a total of 207 teenage mothers were identified from the previous year until the first quarter of 2023. Encouragingly, seven of these teenage mothers received support and were able to return to school. Kwaning remains optimistic that as the project concludes this year, there will be further reductions in teenage pregnancy cases.
Emmanuel Kwarfo Minta, the Executive Director of Ark Development Organization, highlighted the success of raising public awareness regarding the detrimental impact of teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse on adolescent girls and the wider community. Minta also indicated ongoing efforts to engage the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU) in seeking justice for the victims.
Through the joint efforts of Ark Development Organization, UNICEF, and their partners, the SPREAD project is playing a vital role in addressing the pressing issue of sexual and gender-based violence in the Akyemansa District. By providing support to teenage mothers, raising awareness, and pursuing justice, they are making a positive impact on the lives of adolescent girls and the community as a whole.
A 26-year-old man, Godwin Darko, has allegedly killed his girlfriend, Felicia Abena Oparebea, 23, at Trom Junction -5 in Koforidua.
The sad incident happened on Saturday, June 17, 2023 during a misunderstanding over aborted pregnancy.
The suspect is alleged to have questioned why the deceased terminated a pregnancy without his consent.
The prosecution revealed this during the first appearance of the suspect at Koforidua Magistrate Court “A” for committal processes on Tuesday, June 20.
The prosecutor, Sergeant George Defia said the suspect stabbed the girl multiple times in the neck killing her instantly in her room.
The suspect sneaked out of the house and confided in his mother who is a Queen mother of Suhum Nifa Ankobea who took the son to the police station to report himself.
The Prosecutor prayed theCourt presided by Her Honour Nana Ama Dabbah Fynn to remand the suspect to enable police to conduct further investigation including search for the weapon used to commit the heinous crime.
The court adjourned the case to July 4, 2023.
Mother of the suspect, Nana Dede Klottey who is also Suhum Nifa Ankobea Hemaa said her son and the deceased girlfriend used to have many misunderstandings in their relationship which she tried to resolve only for this despicable incident to occur.
He pleaded to the family of the deceased to agree for meeting to prepare for the burial of the deceased as the criminal prosecution continues.
Background
Some cotenants in the house where the incident took place at Trom Junction -5, had earlier told Kasaps News that the suspect visited the girlfriend at a time a naming ceremony was ongoing in the house.
The now-deceased girlfriend went out to meet the suspect outside and brought him to her room.
It appears the suspect killed the victim amid the noise of the naming ceremony, therefore, nobody heard the victim’s distressed scream for help.
He threw away the knife used to commit the gruesome act into a bush at the back of the house before sneaking out.
The body was retrieved from the cold blood by police after taking inventories of the crime scene and deposited the body at the morgue.
Police brought the suspect to the crime scene Sunday, June 18, 2023 in the afternoon around 12:noon to search for the knife used to commit the act but were not successful.
Some angry youth in the community thronged the scene and threatened to attack the suspect.
As tension rose, police whisked the suspect into a taxi and drove off.
A Nigerian man is said to have passed away from shock after learning that his wife, whom he sponsored to relocate overseas for a better life, waspregnant by someone else.
This cruel story was shared by Twitter user @BolanleCole who claimed that the man had struggled to send his wife and two kids to the United Kingdom so they could have a better life while he remained in Nigeria.
Disappointingly, the wife started having an extramarital affair with another man when she arrived in her safe haven.
Their relationship resulted in pregnancy, which the husband only found out about it recently after his wife gave birth.
The tweep noted that the news of the woman’s infidelity and pregnancy was too much for the man to bear, leading to his sudden death.
The Carlos Rosa Foundation is embarking on an awareness campaign to help clear misconceptions about maternal care and equip pregnant women with the requisite knowledge to reduce mortalities.
According to the Ghana Statistical Service, maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 485 deaths per 100,000 births.
To mitigate the situation, the Foundation took its campaign to the Old Tafo municipality, particularly targeting teenage girls.
A total of 181 women died during childbirth in 2022 in the Ashanti Region.
Lack of health infrastructure and maternal awareness have largely contributed to the existing high maternal and infant deaths.
The situation prevents pregnant women from being conscious in accessing modern obstetric care, especially at the community level.
This calls for the strengthening of primary health care at the community level with adequate information for pregnant mothers.
The Carlos Rosa Foundation is embarking on an awareness campaign to help clear misconceptions about maternal care.
A team member of the Foundation, Kwame Brefo Kodua, says the choice of Tafo in the Ashanti region for the campaign is influenced by the increase in maternal mortality in the area.
“Three months ago, we paid a visit to the Queenmother and we discussed the maternal mortality awareness campaign. We visited some communities within Tafo as well as some health facilities.
“They explained the intensity of the issue and the importance of initiatives like this, so we decided to support them with this campaign. We advise that pregnant women make health care a priority during their 9-month journey,” he said.
Nana Obi Yaa Atakora II, queen mother of the Tafo traditional area, advised young girls to abstain from sexual activities which may result in pregnancy.
“By the courtesy of the Carlos Rosa Foundation, we have the education. But we need to prevent the situation before we seek care. Girls here should abstain and take precautions to prevent teenage pregnancy.
“It becomes a burden for girls who are pregnant to take care of themselves and that is too many problems. Stay away, focus on your education or if you are interested in vocational or trade, focus on it and avoid getting pregnant,” she said.
Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the education.
“Some teenage pregnant girls are shy to go for medication and those who go do not use the medications they are given.
“It has helped us a lot. I have learned that I need to take care of myself, not engage in indecent sexual activities. And when it eventually happens, I should take responsibility and still cater for myself,” said Mercy Asamoah.
An Adolescent Focal Person at the Tema General Hospital, Naana Egyiriba Idun-Acquah, has revealed that the facility recorded high cases of teenage pregnancies.
She said this at an organized free health and education exercise in Tema Community 12 to enhance the well-being of residents.
She noted that parents failed to educate their adolescent children on sex education, describing the 10- to 19-year-old age group as the “curious about sex” stage.
She said, parents must build a bond with their children, where sex education could be easily discussed, stressing that, it would help the children fight the urge to experiment with sex because pregnancy did not require multiple instances but just one act.
Adolescent Focal Person revealed that teenage pregnancy had many health consequences, like pre-eclampsia, a blood pressure (BP) illness, and excessive bleeding after birth, easily resulting in death.
She explained that, during pregnancy, the body required lots of blood speculation, but because at adolescence, the body was not mature enough to cater for such activities, it led to many health issues, coupled with emotional distress, social stigma, and economic problems.
Madam Idun-Acquah also revealed that some parents, in their attempt to punish the girl child, made her do more hours of chores and refused to provide her with money for feeding.
She said nutrition and rest were critical to the survival of a pregnant woman; therefore, she appealed to parents to show compassion and support the expectant mothers until they delivered.
The Adolescent Focal Person, however, revealed that the Tema General Hospital also administered free sex education to adolescents and, therefore, advised parents to take advantage of it.
When it was announced that there had been a more than four-fold increase in those aged 10 to 14 getting pregnant in the wake of the pandemic, it became clear how shockingly sexual abuse of young girls had increased in northern Uganda.
The local council chairman inquires about the hugely pregnant girl’s most recent doctor visit as she looks down at her hands and is no older than twelve years old.
Family members need to be asking this kind of question, but this pregnancy is not typical.
The girl is due to give birth any day and lives alone in a modest house in the Kitgum district.
Her parents’ cassava business failed, so they returned to their village to find money for the family.
“She was left here because here is a little bit nearer to the schools,” chairman Obita David Livingstone says.
“But the unfortunate part, the next room here is where people drink. That alone has exposed her to a lot of challenges.”
No-one knows who the father is, or what happened.
‘Three cases a week’
BBC Africa Eye is only allowed to film this girl, who we are not naming, because Mr Livingstone said he wanted to raise awareness of the sexual violence happening in the community.
“In a week, we always have like three cases of defilement. Sometimes when we get the perpetrator, we have to tie them with ropes and take them, escort them to the police. But they don’t bother to follow it up.”
He is fed up with such levels of impunity.
“There is nobody who can really support the person who has been raped. To me I look at this justice as a weak justice,” the local chairman says.
Defilement means unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl below the age of 18.
According to Uganda’s Health Management Information System, pregnancies among girls between the ages of 10 and 14 increased by 366% during the country’s first Covid lockdown (March-June 2020).
At the regional general hospital in Gulu nearly a quarter of all pregnancies in the last financial year were girls under 18, the age of consent in Uganda.
Image caption,Dr Baifa Arwinyo sees a lot of pregnant teenagers who were victims of rape
Dr Baifa Arwinyo, the head of obstetrics and gynaecology, said: “If I am talking of teenage mothers, all of them are defiled. They are teenagers, they are not supposed to be pregnant.
“You will find that young mothers are the highest proportion of those dying of obstructed labour. The younger the mother, the more the complication.”
‘Sexual abuse was a war strategy’
The high levels of sexual violence are thought to be a legacy of the two-decade conflict in northern Uganda, which was infamous for its brutality.
The war was started by Joseph Kony, head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group that wanted to overthrow the government.
His fighters were known for their inhumane treatment of those they abducted: maiming, cutting off lips and limbs, and forcing people into submission through fear.
It is estimated 40,000 children were abducted, forced to become soldiers or sex slaves, and 1.7 million people lived in internally displaced camps.
The rebels moved on from Uganda in 2008, but the after-effects of their atrocities are still present today, according to gender rights activist Pamela Angwech, director of Gulu Women Economic and Globalisation, a grassroots non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“Living within a toxic, minefield environment had long-term effects on the community. People are used to seeing dead bodies, people are used to seeing death. Sexual abuse was used as a military strategy by the LRA team.
“I describe it as the war was fought in the body of the woman and the woman became the battlefield.”
Few people ever saw justice for the heinous crimes committed during the war.
One LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen, was tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and found guilty of 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in February 2021.
Kony is also wanted by the ICC but his whereabouts remain unknown.
Image caption,Lawyer Eunice Lakaraber Latim speaks to community members about the level of child abuse
According to lawyer Eunice Lakaraber Latim, who works for NGO Caritas, that legacy of a lack of accountability thrives in northern Uganda to this day.
“Growing up from Gulu, I saw so many children getting defiled, and most of those parents did not have the resources to pursue the justice that their children deserved.”
‘My child lives in pain’
Ms Latim took Africa Eye to the family of a three-year-old girl who was raped by a relative.
The mother only found out after she noticed the child’s style of walking changed. When the police came to arrest her relative, she says they asked her for money to “transport him”.
“I was then expected to feed the prisoner,” says Ms Latim.
“You have to literally pay your way to get justice. You have to pay money for fuel to have the suspect apprehended.
“You’re supposed to provide feeding for them while they’re still at the police station.”
The suspect was held for six months, but because some of the correct legal procedures were not followed, he was released on bail. The mother simply did not have the means to keep pursuing the case.
Police and medical reports confirm that the three-year-old had been infected with a sexually transmitted disease.
“My child is still in pain, even now. The infection has never healed,” her mother said.
“He should face a prison sentence. I didn’t want it to end this way.”
Ms Latim says it is not unusual for the justice system to fail victims, saying they have had a number of cases that have fallen apart.
“There is a lot of corruption. People don’t fear committing crimes here, because they say, if you have money, you will get out. That is what is happening.”
Nachula Damalie, the regional police commander of Aswa, acknowledges the problems with how some cases are handled, but she denied corruption is rife.
“We are not supposed to ask a victim to pay for our services. But sometimes I should accept that we can run out of fuel. Yes.
“Now with the corruption, it has been a general perception that police officers are corrupt, but not all are corrupt, just like any other institution would be. We have good ones and bad ones.”
The Minister of State for Northern Uganda, Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, also admits there are problems.
“I can’t deny corruption. Corruption is there. It’s at all levels, even at ministries’ level,” she says.
“We have laws on defilement, we have laws on incest, but somehow again, people just go behind the law and bribe police and then police say, ‘OK, go and settle it at home.’ There are cases which have been prosecuted, but the number is not high.”
None of the suspects in any of the cases BBC Africa Eye investigated were prosecuted.
Ghanaian journalist, Nana Yaa Brefo, has opened about how she has given up on attempts to get pregnant and give birth again.
According to her, this comes on the back of six failed In Vitro Fertilisation (IVFs) which she thought could bring her some relief.
Nana Yaa in an interview in 2020 revealed she lost her womb at Ridge Hospital during a major surgery while pregnant with her second kid, a situation that was difficult for her to come to terms with.
Speaking on the way forward, the journalist on Adom TV’s M’ashyase3 said she was still hopeful she could nurture a baby again due to the several options available.
Despite her determination, Nana Yaa sadly revealed she has been unsuccessful.
“I tried other means to get pregnant and I have tried IVF about six times. Four was successful but the pregnancy was aborted at a point so I am on break now. Aside from the cost, the health complication is a lot so I have relaxed now. It is the person involved or the eggs you use,” she opened up to Afia Amankwa Tamakloe.
The tough-spoken journalist indicated she has for some time now also considered adoption but has not had the courage to go execute it.
“I have spoken to the head of social welfare about three times but I haven’t had the courage to proceed. I went to an orphanage for a donation and have even met two girls but I’m working on something currently and that will determine the next step,” she said.
The word ‘borga’ is a local term for middle-aged Ghanaians who return home for Christmas or other festivities.
These men usually adorn very flamboyant outfits, with huge foot wears, plus multiple ornaments- rings and blinging necklaces.
Another trait of ‘borgas’ is strong-scented colognes, which can cause onlookers to turn their necks. In sum, ‘borgas’ look exceptionally affluent and uniquely colourful in their appearance and outlook.
It is worth noting that, another feature of these men is big cars. ‘Borgas’ normally like to drive in vehicles that are huge on the ground. This adds to their grandiose and wealthy outlook.
At the time Bob was planning his Christmas, he had virtually nothing on him. All he could count was the small amount he had saved from his weekly savings as a roadside mechanic.
As for the tokens he had gathered from his street performances as a rapper, he had spent all on his daily expenses.
Bob’s only fortune for Christmas was the 4,000 cedis he had managed to put aside. “How was he going to have a great Christmas with such an amount?”, he thought to himself.
Lying in a makeshift tent in his mechanic shop, an idea finally popped up! After hours of contemplation, Bob eventually hatched a plan to make the best of the situation.
Dr Antwi’s car had been at his shop for close to two months. All efforts to reach him had proven futile. It was a sparkling black vehicle that had all the markings of wealth.
Bob’s plan was therefore to make use of the ride and flaunt it as his private property. After all, nobody would stop him in the middle of the road and question him about the ownership of the vehicle, he presumed.
Early on 24th December, Frank drove the vehicle to his house after pasting a notice at his workshop about his Christmas break.
‘Dear customers, the shop is closed until 1st January. Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year’, the hastily written post read.
In his house, he turned on the speakers of the car in the open, listening to some of his favourite tracks while scrubbing the soles of his sneakers.
Bob’s plan was to step out that night as a ‘borga’ in Dr Antwi’s car and have the time of his life! It was the 24th night; the eve of Christmas.
He had been working all year, and he felt he had to treat himself to some real good time.
Even though the 4,000 cedis was quite a meager amount for his fantasies, he stepped out nonetheless. Arriving at an outdoor partying arena, his eyes were thrilled by a bevy of very pretty young ladies.
The music at the venue was loud, coupled with singing from the excited participants. Food was also on display, amongst a wide variety of drinks.
Quickly, Bob got himself comfortable and grabbed a cup of hard liquor to start with. Leaning by a pole, a young lady approached him with a very warm smile.
Her gestures were very pleasant, and Bob took notice of her dressing immediately. Wearing a bikini with her cleavage visibly exposed, Bob welcomed her pleasantries and the two began a conversation.
Apparently, she was one of the servers at the venue who had been assigned to take orders from guests and ensure their comfort at the venue. Let’s just say a ‘waitress at a party’.
She, therefore, took Bob’s request. Even though he had no immediate craving, he deliberately asked for a bottle of wine, which was brought to him by Cindy, the seductive waitress.
Bob paid for the wine with some fine crispy notes and refused to take the change.
Impressed by the gesture, Cindy promised to return for a much longer conversation. True to her words, she got back to Bob; this time to keep him company.
“Yeah, I just came from Italy and I decided to pass through town”, Bob said by way of introduction.
“Italy? … That’s nice. It’s one of my dream countries”, Cindy replied.
Noting her excitement, Bob proceeded to feed Cindy with lies about his non-existent Italy experience. All he knew about Italy was from some movies he had watched, yet he persuaded Cindy into believing he is a resident there.
The conversation between the two new friends lasted for a while until it started showering. What started as light showers developed into heavy rains which scattered the charged gathering.
Everybody started seeking shelter and those who had cars ran into them. Bob’s car, therefore, became the convenient haven for himself and Cindy.
It had a pleasant smell and the air conditioner in the car created such a warm ambiance.
One thing led to the other and the two got intimate in the end. Bob’s ‘borga’-like looks wooed Cindy, who felt she had come into contact with a rich young dude.
Two weeks later, Cindy discovered she was pregnant.
Now Cindy was a worker at the venue for the party, employed as an attendant.
At work, she felt uneasy and decided to go out to buy some mints. Exiting the door, she saw a car similar to what Bob had brought.
But stepping out of the car was Dr Antwi, her boss. At that point, she became slightly confused; wondering what Dr Antwi was doing in her boyfriend’s car.
“Is everything alright?”, Dr Antwi asked, seeing the disquiet on her face.
“Oh, it’s nothing; I just like your new ride”, she replied in a soft and humbled tone.
“New ride, no dear. It’s actually an old one that has been with the mechanic for some months now. I just decided to go for it today”.
You can imagine Cindy’s look. She was completely distraught! “Bob didn’t own the car? He was just a mechanic??”, she fumed in her head.
The rest is obvious. Her rather painful discovery tore her emotions apart. She had been deceived into giving in to a fake Italian dude.
Sorrow was what engulfed her! And a sad end for that matter.
The moral of this story is for everybody to be careful this Christmas and beyond. Don’t be deceived by an Italian-looking Bob. They’re out there in their numbers!
Source: Myjoyonline| Paa Kwesi Schandorf
The author of this fiction is a writer, a corporate MC and JoyNews journalist by name Paa Kwesi Schandorf. You can reach him on (+233) 273141821 or derrick.ayirebi-acuqah@myjoyonline.com.
A mother described how she was in “complete shock” when she found out she was having triplets and how she “can barely recall” the exact moment she learned during an ultrasound exam.
Genevieve “Genna” Knox, a teacher from San Diego, California, claims that up until 20 weeks of her pregnancy in 2019, she believed she was carrying one baby normally. It wasn’t until that point that she discovered she was also carrying a second child.
After another nine weeks, she was incredibly informed that there were actually three babies.
Along with their six-year-old son Liam, Genna, 38, and her husband Kyle wanted to start a family, but they were also conscious of her advanced maternal age.
She claimed that while she underwent comprehensive prenatal testing, she did not get a scan after her first trimester.
“I started having kids later in life and I didn’t know if I’d even be able to have one, we were overjoyed,” she told TODAY.com, about having triplets.
Genna with her three newly born babies in California( Image: Instagram)
She says they feel like the “luckiest people in the world”.
The first shock came when she learned she was pregnant with twins following a 20-week prenatal scan.
“She’s like, ‘Wait, you’re having twins?’ And I said, ‘No I’m not,’” Genna said. “Then I looked up and I could see clear as day that there were two babies.”
The family was contemplating getting a bigger car at that point as they wondered how they would adjust to having three kids in all.
Genna and Kyle say they feel incredibly lucky to have had the triplets( Image: Instagram)
Genna claimed that she had only seriously considered obtaining the four-dimensional scan as a memento and something to show their families after 29 weeks.
And after that, she claimed that she started to worry about the scan when the ultrasound technician spoke to her for such a long time.
“Finally he goes, ‘How far along were you when you found out you were having twins?’ And I said, ‘Oh, gosh you’re not going to believe it,’ and then I told him what happened at the 20-week scan,” Genna added.
Josephine Panyin Mensah, who was at the centre of the fake pregnancy and kidnapping hoax has been fined GHC7,200.
The Takoradi Circuit Court A sentenced her for the publication of false news to cause fear and panic to the public.
Mensah, who is now pregnant, could have spent a maximum of three years in jail but for her current condition.
It was established in court during the trial that Josephine Panyin, whose alleged kidnapping case caught national attention, was never pregnant or taken hostage as initially alleged back in September 2021.
Justice Michael Ampadu said the prosecution was able to establish that the accused feigned the act of kidnap and pregnancy because she could not bear the shame of communicating her initial miscarriage to the husband.
“What will make a woman go through all the stress of walking from Takoradi to Agona Nkwanta and continued on foot to Axim bearing all the risks in mind… I think families must begin to support women, especially when they get miscarriage because it is a natural act,” the judge said.
When Susan Wamaitha started feeling sick a year ago, she thought it was the side effects of a contraceptive pill she had started taking a few months earlier – but it turned out that she was eight weeks pregnant.
The 32-year-old is now a mother of three children. Unbeknown to her, the pill that she began using in June 2021 was banned in Kenya.
Its street name in Kenya is “Sofia” but it is manufactured in China and all the details about the product on the packaging are only written in Chinese.
A translation of the first line says it contains “Levonorgestrel Fast Estradiol Tablets“. The pill is a “long-acting oral contraceptive”, according to the second line. Then there is information about the manufacturer on the third: “Zizhu Pharmaceutical Co Ltd”.
The sale of the pill was prohibited by Kenya’s authorities 10 years ago because of high levels of levonorgestrel – more than 40 times the recommended levels.
Levonorgestrel is a hormonal medication used in a number of birth control methods.
The health ministry did not share the full lab results about its findings but said children conceived after the pill failed were found to have developed early puberty.
Headaches and nausea
“I did not know it was banned. Many of my friends were using it and had no side effects,” Ms Wamaitha told the BBC.
Like many other Kenyan women, she was attracted to the pill by its affordability and the convenience of taking it only once a month.
Women tend to buy the Sofia tablet each month – most suppliers will not sell it in bulk. Each pill costs between 300 Kenyan shillings ($2.50; £2.20) and 400 Kenyan shillings.
Other family planning methods available in the country include the daily contraceptive pill. A month’s supply costs about $1.70 from government hospitals but their stock is not always guaranteed so women then have to buy it from pharmacies for considerably more.
This makes the hormonal implant that lasts three months, offered at state clinics at a cost of around $5, and various intrauterine devices, like coils, that last several years and cost up to $9, more common alternatives.
Condoms are offered for free in public offices and toilets but sometimes run out, though they can be bought in shops.
“Because I had a non-hormonal copper T-shaped coil that was giving me back pains, I decided to remove it and use the pill,” Ms Wamaitha told the BBC.
She was also impressed that her friends who recommended Sofia had not gained any weight – a key consideration for her as she says she struggles with keeping the pounds off.
However, right from the beginning she did not feel great on it – though she thought it would just take time for her body to get used to the new medication as she had to take two pills initially followed by one a month.
“I started having headaches and nausea. The first month I missed my period,” Ms Wamaitha said.
But she did not worry as she had her period the following month. It was only when it skipped again in the third month that she began to get concerned.
Her husband then started researching the contraceptive pill and that is when he found out it had been banned.
“We started panicking about using a banned pill and when I realised I was pregnant I was worried about the effects it may have on my baby,” she said.
They now have a healthy three-month-old girl, but the couple are upset by the lack of information and possible implications for their daughter as she grows up.
‘One size does not fit all’
Only 50% of women in sub-Saharan Africa in need of modern contraceptive methods have access to them, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Josephine Kibaru
A woman is likely to trust a neighbour and friend more than a healthcare worker who has been posted at the dispensary”
In Kenya, contraception tends to be discussed in hushed tones – mostly because of cultural and religious beliefs in what is a patriarchal society.
Some men do not allow their wives to use contraceptives while some religious sects are against it. The Kavonokya Sect in eastern Kenya, for example, rejects all modern medicine as it believes the Bible only recommends prayer as an intervention.
For population and development expert Dr Josephine Kibaru, a grassroots approach would be best to gain acceptance for modern family planning methods.
“We need community health volunteers to be more empowered with information because a woman is likely to trust a neighbour and friend more than a healthcare worker who has been posted at the dispensary,” Dr Kibaru told the BBC.
She says there is a chasm of ignorance about the birth control methods available, along with many myths and misconceptions that need to be dispelled.
A combination of both is probably what is required as gynaecologist Brigid Monda says women should consult healthcare providers to be able to find a family planning method that works for them.
“One size does not fit all,” she told the BBC.
Yet some women have also been forced to mix different contraceptive methods because of a lack of consistent supply at dispensaries located in rural areas.
Sofia remains easily available despite its ban. The fact that women do not know it is banned is down to poor public health messaging, according to Dr Kibaru.
“Using the media alone is not enough. Intentional public messaging at grassroots level is important to ensure the masses understand well why a drug has been banned,” she says.
Sold to trusted customers
Pharmacists do know it is banned – another warning was issued by the health ministry last month – yet they still sell the pill because of demand.
It is not on display but sold under the counter to trusted customers who come in to buy it each month.
The BBC visited several pharmacies in the capital, Nairobi, to make inquiries about Sofia – most said the drug was not for sale.
One seller – who spoke on condition of anonymity – explained that it was available, just not on display, and pharmacies were able to buy it from suppliers who brought it in from neighbouring countries.
Earlier this month, a Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) official told Kenya’s Standard newspaper a shipment had been intercepted at the Ugandan border.
Ms Wamaitha says she actually bought her pills from a friend who gets them in bulk from one of these suppliers.
She says this friend and others knew the pill was banned when they recommended it to her.
Her pregnancy has not persuaded them to stop using it – nor do any of the complaints on the various Facebook groups for Kenyan mothers.
On at least three of these forums there have been discussions about Sofia, where several women taking it said they had fallen pregnant.
This has convinced Ms Wamaitha to keep on urging her friends and other women to consider a different form of birth control.
“I just know that the mention of that Sofia pill makes me get chills on my body. I don’t know what family planning method I will use to prevent a fourth pregnancy, but I’m done, done with that pill.”
A 32-year-old farmer, has allegedly, impregnated his 15-year-old step-daughter.
Per police report, the class five student who is seven months pregnant, lives in a neighborhood close to Peki in the Volta Region with her mother and her step-father.
Reports also indicate that, whenever the mother of the girl was out for her all-night prayer sessions, the suspect and his step-daughter have several sexual encounters.
It has also been disclosed their intimate relationship started in 2021.
Further information reveals that the victim was unaware of her pregnancy until her condition was recognized by her teachers, who then told her mother, who the victim afterwards blamed for the pregnancy when questioned.
However, Teye Victoria, a 30-year-old corn dough seller and the mother of six children, after being informed of the situation, failed to report the case to police.
The Odumase police who got wind of the issue promptly moved in and arrested Nazah while he was in a meeting with other family members to settle the case.
The victim’s mother who’s not enthused about the arrest of her husband is pleading with the police to release Nazah on the grounds that she’s not in a position to single-handedly cater for the six children.
On Monday, Nazah Joshua was taken into custody by the Odumase Krobo Police while the family was at Nuaso.
On Wednesday, the suspect will be transferred to Peki, for additional inquiries.
The government has been urged to introduce maternity allowance to support the wellbeing of nursing mothers. The United Nations (UN) Eminent Peace Ambassador Dr. Samuel Owusu who made the appeal explained that some young women terminate their pregnancies because of inadequate financial support.
He also observed that some women fall ill during pregnancy and do not go to work, hence their consistent incomes may be cut. He described the situation as worrying and called on the government to at least pay pregnant women GHC200 monthly in order to support them.
Dr Samuel Owusu said this at an event to celebrate women at the University of Ghana Business School.
It was organized by the International Association of World Peace Advocate (IAWPA) Ghana, under the auspices of Dr Samuel Owusu, the event brought together women from organizations, including the Church of Pentecost, Apostolic Church, Madina market, Immigration Service, Federation of Muslim Association National Level, Ogbojo Market Women, and some women in the media.
A health screening and massage session were held for the women. Speaking at the event, Dr Samuel Owusu said, women, need support especially during and after pregnancy.
“I am appealing to the government to introduce maternity monthly allowance for pregnant women and mothers so that they can fall on it during and after pregnancy.â€
He also urged mothers to take good care of their children to prevent waywardness.
Dr. Owusu urged women to do more to tolerate and celebrate each other, adding that it will help the country develop.
“Women are trying, but they need to do more. When women celebrate each other, there is surety of the peace, equality of development and serenity of life,†he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Samuel Owusu also appealed to men to give women the opportunity and hope to strive higher, saying that they will do better when given the opportunity.
Midwives at some health facilities in the Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies have advised pregnant women to report early for antenatal care (ANC)and be put on SulphadoxinePyrimethamine (SP) to prevent and protect them and their fetuses from malaria.
They also advised pregnant women to stop giving excuses and rather embrace SP because it would help to prevent premature deliveries, anemia amongst other life-threatening complications.
They gave the advice when GNA visited their facilities to assess efforts being made to prevent malaria in pregnancy in the country.
The facilities visited were Tamale Central Health Centre, and Builpela Health Centre in the Tamale Metropolis, and Kalpohin Health Centre in the Sagnarigu Municipality.
Malaria infection during pregnancy is a major public health problem with substantial risk for the mother, her fetus, and the newborn, and for women living in moderate-high transmission malaria areas in sub-Saharan Africa, failure to take sufficient doses of SP increases the woman’s risk of malaria, anemia, and subsequent stillbirth, preterm delivery, or delivery of a low birth weight infant.
The Ghana Health Service, therefore, recommends preventive treatment for malaria using the Intermittent Preventive Treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) approach where SP drug is given to pregnant women when they are 16 weeks old, and once every four weeks until they deliver.
There is a benefit for each dose of SP, and pregnant women need to take sufficient doses to protect themselves and their fetuses.
However, the Midwives said even though reporting early for ANC was encouraging, some pregnant women still reported later than 16 weeks after getting pregnant, which meant that they would not be able to take the full complement of SP.
Despite the benefits of SP, some pregnant women refuse to take it with the excuse that it causes them to vomit, feel dizzy, unable to walk amongst others.
Madam Barikisu Adam, a Midwife at ANC at Tamale Central Health Centre said “We know that some pregnant women do not like to take the SP. So, we give them sachet water at the facility to take the drug in our presence so that we are sure they take it.â€
Madam Adam added that “Some pregnant women like to take the SP with drinks and or porridge and they bring them to the facility to take it in our presence. Those, who do not bring porridge or drink, request to take it home. We suspect some do not take it.â€
She said, “We also give them insecticide-treated nets and repellents to use and also advise them not to stay outside for long for mosquitoes to bite them.â€
Madam Augusta Dorbu, Midwife in-charge of ANC at Kalpohin Health Centre said “We tell them the benefits of SP and impress on them to take it. Where some do not take it, and we record complications, we refer them to hospitals where there are Neonatal Intensive Care Units to take care of the babies to save their lives.â€
Ayesha Attu, a Midwife at ANC at Builpela Health Centre said “Just this week, a 37 week-old pregnant woman came for ANC for the first time. That is her first pregnancy. We did a malaria test on her and put her on SP.â€
Given the challenges being faced to ensure uptake of SP, the Midwives advised pregnant women to prioritise their lives and those of their fetuses by embracing SP and reporting for it on time to protect them.
Cases of maternal deaths saw drastic reduction at the Bono Regional hospital in Sunyani with the facility recording only three cases in 2020 compared to 20 cases in 2019.
The Supervisor at the Antenatal Clinic of the hospital, Mrs Joval Nyarko-Ababio told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that anaemia, eclampsia and sickel cell contributed to most of the deaths.
She therefore appealed for monitors, BP apparatus and more doctors, assuring that the facility would not record any maternal death in 2021 if the needs were provided.
Earlier, the Bono Regional Minister, Mrs Evelyn Ama Kumi Richardson, visited various wards and feted patients on admission.
The Minister supplied the patients with Christmas packages including tin tomatoes, cooking oil, rice, spices and beverages.
Mrs Kumi-Richardson urged the patients to adhere to advice from health workers and take their drugs to facilitate their healing processes.
The Midwife in-charge of maternity at the hospital, Mrs Vida Tiwaa, said nine babies comprising four boys and five girls were born on December 31, 2020.
As of 12:00 G.M.T., five babies had been delivered, she said adding that some pregnant women were also in labour.
Mrs Tiwaa appealed to pregnant women to attend regular ante-natal clinics to protect themselves and their unborn babies.
he Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) is escalating efforts to halve the country’s teenage pregnancy rate from 24% to 12% by end of this year.
This envisaged goal will come at the backdrop of an envisaged successful roll-out of the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan (ZNFPCIP).
The blueprint translates the nation’s strategy 2016-2020 into a result-based and actionable costed plan to guide intervention programming, resource mobilisation and allocation, and performance measurement.
ZNFPC sister-in-charge for Mashonaland West, Christopher Katanda, told NewZimbabwe.com recently that teenage pregnancies remained a huge challenge, particularly in rural areas where there is low uptake of contraceptives among young and unmarried sexually active women.
“This has contributed to the high prevalence of teenage pregnancies, therefore, there is need for demand creation for contraceptives as we push to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate from 24 to 12 per cent by end of 2020,” said Katanda.
Journalists attending a recent ZNFPC media engagement meeting, raised fears of an upsurge in unwanted teen pregnancies in light of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen most youths redundant and exposed to mischief.
According to the ZNFPCIP, Zimbabwe seeks to increase, among its key populations, knowledge of long-acting and permanent family planning methods among all women and men from 46 to 51% by 2020.
Long-acting and reversible contraceptives include implants and intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs), while permanent methods include male and female sterilisation.
ZNFPC targets to avert over 3 million unwanted pregnancies, cut in excess of 900,000 abortions, supress 7,000 maternal deaths and avoid 33,000 child deaths by end of this year (2020).
According to the last population census, Zimbabwe has an estimated 15 million people and is projected to reach 19, 3 million by 2032, based on the country’s total fertility rate which is higher among poor less-educated rural women.
This demographic group averages five births per woman.
Family planning is vital in a country’s development as it informs government budgeting of key resources, policy formulation and implementation aimed at improved livelihoods of families and communities.
NORSAAC a civil society organization in the northern region, has raised the alarm over a drop in antenatal visits to health facilities across northern Ghana.
The organization says, a significant number of pregnant women in northern Ghana now deliver at home, choosing to visit health facilities only under emergencies.
Executive Director of NORSAAC, Mohammed Awal, who disclosed this to journalists in Tamale said the development poses a threat to gains made in reducing maternal and infant mortality.
He said the organization conducted a study in selected health facilities in eighteen districts across the five regions of the North and found the worrying trend.
The study also found that most health facilities in the area, are not equipped to deal with a surge in the Covid-19 outbreak.
A new study showed that some women who delivered babies in the city in recent weeks had been inflicted with the coronavirus without displaying symptoms.
NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center screened more than 200 women for the illness upon admission between March 22 and April 4, according to the study.
Among the 33 patients who tested positive, 29 of them had no symptoms.
One patient with a swab that was negative for SARS-CoV-2 on admission became symptomatic after giving birth, and was tested again 3 days after the initial test.
SARS-CoV-2 is the severe acute respiratory syndrome that causes COVID-19.
The first diagnosed case of COVID-19 in an obstetrical patient was on March 13, 2020, according to doctors in the study.
The study, doctors claim, underscores the risk of COVID-19 among asymptomatic obstetrical patients. It also warns the true prevalence of infection may be underreported because of false-negative results of tests to detect SARS-CoV-2.
“The potential benefits of a universal testing approach include the ability to use COVID-19 status to determine hospital isolation practices and bed assignments, inform neonatal care, and guide the use of personal protective equipment,†the study says.
“Access to such clinical data provides an important opportunity to protect mothers, babies, and health care teams during these challenging times.â€
A mother with coronavirus has given birth while in a medically induced coma.
Angela Primachenko, 27, from Vancouver, Washington, caught COVID-19 in March and was placed on a ventilator when she was 33 weeks pregnant, according to her twin sister.
The respiratory therapist’s condition deteriorated to the point where doctors put her into a coma at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center and later helped deliver her baby while she was under.
The baby, named Ava, tested negative for COVID-19 but has had to be kept apart from her mother temporarily.
Mrs Primachenko shared a photo of her newborn on Sunday, writing: “Baby Ava is still in the NICU and i still haven’t been able to see her in person.”
The next day, the now mother-of-two announced she had been discharged from hospital, writing: “7 days in the hospital. 10 days intubated. Thousands of prayers later I am home and it feels so good!!!!!”
On March 30, her twin sister launched a fundraiser to help with the medical costs, raising almost $50,000 (£39,800) so far.
Jamie Chui has been a virtual prisoner in her Hong Kong home for most of her nine-month pregnancy.
Trapped intially by violent pro-democracy protests and tear gas, and then by the coronavirus — she now faces giving birth alone, with her husband unlikely to see his child until days later.
Asia is facing a second wave of Coronavirus infections and as cases spiral globally with one million confirmed positive and half the planet on lockdown, women are having to give birth in unprecedented circumstances.
Hong Kong and China have imposed some of the world’s strictest measures to prevent infections in maternity units: birthing partners are banned from labour units, delivery rooms and post-natal wards in public hospitals.
That has left many women struggling not only with normal pregnancy anxieties and infection fears, but also the new reality of hospital deliveries, at a time when experts warn resources are more stretched than ever.
“The most stressful part for me is that hospitals have suspended the visiting arrangements and accompanied labour,” says Chui, adding: “I will need to fight alone.”
“I’m nervous, to be honest. But I don’t know what else I could do.”
Hong Kong’s protests began as Chui fell pregnant.
Fearful of the violence and tear gas might do to her unborn child, she stayed indoors. Now she is doing the same thing because of the coronavirus.
“I have been staying at home for almost my whole pregnancy,” the 33-year-old photographer explains.
– Women should have choices –
Banning labour companions goes against the World Health Organization’s ‘Safe Childbirth Checklist’ recommendations that women should have a trusted person with them during the process.
A similar move was attempted by some hospitals in New York but governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order to ensure ‘no woman would give birth alone’, after a huge public outcry and 600,000-strong petition.
In China and Hong Kong, women are instead left having to choose between spending upwards of HKD 100,000 (US$10,000) for private hospital delivery, where partners are still allowed to attend, or going it alone in the public system.
“I have had to mentally and physically prepare to deliver without my husband’s support,” says 36-year-old Lidia Inês Cardoso Ribeiro, adding that she has written to the Hospital Authority to urge them to reconsider.
“I believe all women should have the choice to have a person they trust to empower and support them through labour,” she explains.
Christina Kimont, a Canadian midwife and public health researcher, now in Macau, which operates similar restrictions, agrees the situation could be problematic.
“The human body cannot easily do what it is designed to do while in a state of stress,” she says.
She warned that adding extra anxiety to people already worrying about their baby contracting the virus or exhausted medical teams, could make labour “longer, more difficult and likely to end up in unplanned surgical procedures.”
Irma Syahrifat, a trained doula in Indonesia, says women there have had to attend appointments with physicians in full-suited hazard gear — an instantly distressing situation.
Currently, Indonesian hospitals allow one birth support person but, with rules constantly changing as cases spike, she insists “mental preparedness” for delivery without an advocate is a necessary addition to ante-natal classes.
There has been little research into the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women, but the WHO says current evidence suggests that while vulnerable to respiratory infections, they are no more at risk of serious illness than the general population.
A small Chinese study following 33 expectant mothers in Wuhan found it was possible, though rare, to pass the infection in utero after three newborns tested positive for the virus.
While infants and children account for a low proportion of documented infections and deaths, a six-week-old baby in the US died this week from complications relating to the disease.
– Begging for help –
Across Asia, it has become the norm for routine pregnancy check-ups to be replaced with telehealth consultations, while traditional ante-natal group sessions have been replaced by online courses.
As infections soar in America and Europe the knock-on effects for maternity and postpartum care are already visible, with wards in California being used for virus cases instead.
Britain’s Royal College of Midwives reported that one in five midwife posts are now empty in maternity units — double the figure before the virus crisis started as staff fall sick, self-isolate, or are redeployed to care for COVID-19 patients.
WHO has warned dwindling supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers will put lives at risk.
At Manila’s Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, where women are sometimes three to a double bed, doctors now worry about a lack of isolation units and rely on donations for protective gear.
Cynthia Anzures, who chairs the obstetrics department, says: “If we don’t have enough donations, like for our n95 masks, we reuse them. We use raincoats if we don’t have PPEs.”
There are fears this will soon be the reality in many more Asian cities, as a recent surge in cases creates fresh waves of panic-buying, while new country-wide lockdowns could impact supply chains.
Chui says she has no choice but to stay inside even after delivery to protect her newborn.
“I think it is better to just stay at home. Just like what I’m doing right now.”
From monitoring your ovulation, to having regular antenatal check-ups and lots of sex, here are the four essentials of falling pregnant naturally!
Ready for a baby? Obstetrician, Fertility Specialist and Gynecologist Dr. Raewyn Tierney reveals the four essentials of falling pregnant naturally, in the video above, which include:
1. Monitoring ovulation
2. Having a pre-pregnancy check-up to rule out any health factors that may affect fertility or pregnancy
The Western Regional Health Directorate in 2019 recorded 61 maternal deaths as against 81 in 2018.
Naa Jacob Mahama the Regional Health Director who made this known at the Regional Health Service 2019 Annual Performance Review Meeting in Takoradi said the Effiankwanta hospital recorded the majority of the cases since it was a referral hospital.
The review meeting on the theme: “Strengthening the Sub-district Health Systems: A key Strategy to Improving Health Outcomes in Western Region” was attended by district, municipal and metropolitan health directors, nurses, traditional authorities and some heads of departments.
He said apart from the maternal deaths, other reproductive health indicators such as Antennal Care, did not meet the set target.
Naa Mahama said supervised deliveries recorded a decrease from 59.5 per cent in 2018 to 58.8 per cent in 2019 while family planning increased slightly from 29.4 per cent in 2018 to 30.5 per cent in 2019.
The Regional Health Director noted that still-birth continued to drop and that 1.8 per cent was recorded in 2018 as against 1.02 per cent in 2019 while early neonatal deaths dropped from 7.2 death per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019.
Touching on poliovirus, Naa Mahama said a number of measures including, sensitization and training of health workers, public education and the reactivation of the epidemic committee have been put in place to tackle the virus.
He said about 190,000 children under 18 months were targeted for the polio immunization in the region.
On measles, he said 221 suspected cases were recorded in seven districts out of which 13 cases were confirmed but stressed that the necessary measures have been put in place to avoid its spread.
Naa Mahama said everything was being done to reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the region, adding that, numerous training have been done as part of activities to achieve the endemic control of HIV/AIDS in the region.
Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye the Director-General, Ghana Health Service said as a service their primary objective was to prevent the spread of the COVIV-19 and that they were working with the Ministry of Health and other partners to prevent the spread of the virus into the country.
He said comprehensive measures have been put in place to prevent and handle cases and key among them was the training of port health staff and screening of passengers at the Kotoka International Airport.
Dr. Aboagye also stated that the Tema and Ridge hospitals staff were also being trained to handle COVID-19 cases in the country, adding that, an alert had been sent to all Regions and Districts, and the reactivation of the districts response teams to handle and prevent the virus from entering the country.
He said public perception about poor quality care especially in emergency situations still remained a worrying concern that the Service needed to address.
He was hopeful that with the introduction of the new ambulances, it would help reduce that perception.
Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister, emphasized that sub-health directorates played a key role in implementing integrated health care and needed to be well equipped.
The Regional Minister hinted that government had developed a new attractive incentive package for health workers in deprived communities with a prime goal of retaining health personnel in such areas.
Nana Ankoma Tuagyan of the Sekondi Traditional Area who presided said it sub-district health facilities could only be strengthened if proper measures were implemented.
He in this regard, appealed to the Regional Health Service Council to create sub-district health directorates and provide them with Administrators or Directors to ease the workload on the Physician Assistants and Midwives who played such roles.
He stressed the need to resource the various health centres with technical staff and lauded the One District One Ambulance initiative.
He, however, expressed concern about the poor nature of the roads network in rural areas and called for the modification of the tricycles (Pragyia), which were being used as ambulances in some remote areas to save more lives.
Stretch marks are one beauty issue no one wants to deal with including men and women because it sometimes affects your confidence.
Pregnant women are prone to have stretch marks all over their bump, breasts, arms, thigh and some other part of the body. Stretch marks occur due to weight gain or when the body suddenly lose weight. For pregnant women, its surely weight gain.
The growth of the baby stretches the skin around the stomach beyond its original capacity, thereby causing stretch marks. You can’t avoid this during pregnancy but you can get rid of it after childbirth. Most pregnant women are scared that their marks might not leave after childbirth. The good news is that we’ll show you how to get rid of it with homemade remedies.
Here are 3 homemade remedies for removing pregnancy stretch marks.
1. Aloe vera
You must have heard about aloe vera is a good skincare plug. Aloe vera can repair and soothe the skin. Applying its gel on the affected area will make the stretch marks disappear. Extract the gel from the leaf, rub it on your skin and leave for about 15 minutes. Then, you wash off after with warm water.
2. Olive oil
Olive oil is popular for exfoliating and moisturizing the skin. It eliminates stretch marks by promoting blood circulation. All you need to is rub the oil gently all over your skin in a circular motion. Leave it on for about 30 minutes so your skin can absorb the vitamins. Take your bath after. You can do twice this daily.
3. Shea butter
Shea butter is popular for its great impact on the skin, that’s why it’s one of the primary ingredients in most skincare products. Applying shea butter on your skin will improve its elasticity and prevent dryness. This eliminates stretch marks. All you need to do is massage your skin with shea butter and you’re on the way to getting flawless skin.
The Eastern Regional Health Directorate continues to grapple with the high maternal mortality despite the roll-out of numerous critical interventions including Passion, Innovation, Commitment, Compassion and Accountability for Maternal and Neonatal Health (PICCAM).
Seventy (70) institutional maternal deaths have been recorded so far in the region as at the end of September this year. Out of 49,000 live births, neonatal deaths hovers around 697. The lack of ambulances and Poor roads have been identified as inhibiting factors to emergency care for pregnant women.
A total of 132 pregnant women died in the Eastern region in 2018, the figure is a reduction from 180 maternal deaths recorded in 2017.
The clinical causes of maternal deaths in the region have been attributed to Hemorrhage, eclampsia/Hypertension disease in Pregnancy, Amniotic fluid, unsafe abortion.
The Regional Health Directorate outlined that “poor referral system, inadequate specialists in the hospital, lack/Poor supervision by some managers in health facilities, poor emergency preparedness and responsiveness due to lack of ambulances and poor roads in many districts as some major factors contributing to the maternal deaths in the region.
The introduction of the Medical Drone delivery service has, however, helped to fix some of the challenges chiefly blood supply and essential medicine delivery in hard to reach areas such as Afram Plains South and North Districts.
But the absence of Ambulances still remains a challenge.
The entire Afram Plains North and South, for instance, have no Ambulance. Pregnant women are therefore transported with tricycles and motorbikes, taxis during emergencies.
In instances of referrals to Koforidua, private Pick Up vehicle of the District Health Director is mostly used.
The Eastern Regional CHPS Coordinator, Augustina Nartey, said at the CHIPs zone level, community members are encouraged to use other means including motorbikes, tricycles and taxis if available, to help transport pregnant women in emergency conditions to nearby facilities.
At a recent Health Forum and Annual General Meeting by the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health in the Eastern Regional, various NGOs made presentations on how it is implementing interventions to help reduce the maternal mortality in the region but bemoaned the ineffective emergency response system in parts of the region.
The Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health, Emmanuel Mintah speaking on the theme for the event “Achieving Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals; The Role of NGOsâ€, charged members to capitalize on different perspectives and experience to accelerate the attainment of effective health systems strengthening in the country.
Moms-to-be who undergo physical or mental stress during their pregnancies are less likely to have a boy and may also have a higher risk of preterm birth, according to a study published Monday.
“The womb is an influential first home,” said lead author Catherine Monk, director of women’s mental health in OB/GYN at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
“We do know that males are more vulnerable in utero, and presumably the stress in these women is of a long-standing nature,” Monk said.
Nature typically assures there are an average of 105 boys born for every 100 female births; after all, males were more likely to die from accidents or fighting wild game.
But in this study, women who had higher blood pressure and other signs of physical stress had four boys for every nine girls (ratio 4:9); while moms who were psychologically stressed had two boys for every 3 girls (ratio 2:3). All of the women had healthy pregnancies.
“Other researchers have seen this pattern of a decrease in male births related to traumatic cataclysmic events,” Monk said. “One of them being President Kennedy’s assassination and the other being the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City.”
Pregnant women who were physically pressured were also more likely to give birth prematurely than unstressed mothers. However, mentally tense moms-to-be had more birth complications, such as longer labor, than the moms with physical stress.
Yet when the expectant mothers received social support, such as having someone they could talk to or count on for help with their problems, the risk of premature delivery disappeared – a surprising discovery, Monk said.
Even more surprising, the more social support a mother received, the greater the chance she had of having a male baby.
“The support could be from family and friends,” Monk said. “It could be a sense of belonging in a religious community. It’s the sense of social cohesion and social connectedness which research suggests is a buffer against the experiences of stress. It means you take a break from it.”
Social support is critical for building confidence in a new mom, said Dr. Christina Penfield, an assistant professor of maternal-fetal medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, who was not involved in the study.
“Pregnancy is a pivotal moment in women’s lives coinciding with a redefinition of self, family, and community,” Penfield said. “It is therefore not surprising that several studies have demonstrated that when we provide social support programs to pregnant women we see improvements in their psychosocial outcomes.”
Chronic stress and pregnancy
An estimated 30% of pregnant women report psychosocial stress from job strain or depression and anxiety, according to studies.
While this study did not explore just how stress might impact the pregnancy, others have pointed to the role of the stress hormone cortisol.
Cortisol is part of the body’s “flight or flight” alarm system and is meant to dissipate once the danger is over. Chronically high levels can increase blood pressure and make an individual more prone to illness.
One study found pregnant women under pressure had higher levels of cortisol; those levels were also present in the baby’s amniotic fluid at 17 weeks gestation.
“Stress during pregnancy can be harmful for both mom and baby,” said Laura Berman, assistant clinical professor of OB/GYN and psychiatry at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
“Being stressed while expecting can increase a woman’s chance of postpartum depression. It can also lead to preterm delivery and low birth weight,” added Berman, who was not involved in the study.
However, Penfield cautions against reading too much into an association between maternal stress and adverse outcomes.
“These studies can only suggest an association and cannot establish causation,” she said. “For example, some women who report high stress may also have decreased sleep, irregular or unhealthy diets, or increased rates of substance use. It is unclear whether it is the ‘stress’ that causes the adverse outcome.”
Stress is part of life
Stress is part of everyday life. In fact, “good” stress motivates and focuses attention. It’s when stress becomes overwhelming or constant that it is unhealthy.
“Most women report experiencing at least one stressful life event in the year before giving birth, so experiencing stress in pregnancy is often unavoidable,” Penfield said.
“When faced with stress, the best mothers-to-be can do is minimize the impact of the stress on their daily life and try to maintain good sleep, nutrition and exercise habits,” she added.
“I find meditation to be an incredibly useful tool for managing stress,” said Berman. “Unlike exercise, which can be difficult for moms who are very far along in their pregnancy, meditation works for every stage of pregnancy and every size of woman.”
Another useful tool, Berman said, are pregnancy support groups, as well as couples’ therapy for moms and dads-to-be who want to make sure their relationship is on the right track before the baby comes.
Monk suggests the best time to plan a more stress-free pregnancy is just as prenatal care begins.
“Why not check-in and ask yourself, how are you managing stress? Do you have tools? Do you need some more help? Where’s the extra help going to come from? I think it’s an ideal time to do that.”
