A few suggested my first diarywasn't "on-topic" for DKos. Thank you, I agree! I beg your pardon only with this defense: I wanted to share with a community where I'd get more insightful comments than "cool got pics" Thank you for pushing me to write something better.
Today I'd like to talk about African ladies and safeguarding their health during childbirth. These ladies are the strong, tireless workers and mothers who bind together their families, communities, and ultimately uphold nations. The world is significantly impoverished for the loss of these women for any reason. But to lose these mothers when there is an inexpensive, easily usable and currently available tool that could save them is inexcusable.
As is often the case, the leading cause of maternal death during childbirth in Africa (and Asia - do you know what it is?) has a solution in developed nations that isn't entirely practical in the places where these ladies live. But the good news is there's a solution. Read below the fold for more.
According to UNICEF 265,000 maternal deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa in the year of 2005. The leading cause (34%) of the ladies deaths was hemorrhage - bleeding to death. Can you imagine what horror these women and their families must endure in the hours to sometimes days it takes to bleed to death while trying to deliver your baby? This is wrong. And sometimes I don't know whether to scream at the ignorance and injustice or just cry.
And while I'm preaching I have to add this: Most of these deaths cannot be due to a family's indifference to the health of their 'mom'. Sure, womens health care is undervalued and sorely lacking in many parts of the world but don't believe the garbage people will tell you such as how 'dad' would rather drink and gamble and chew khat than pay for a doctor. That sounds to me like racist bullshit to for many reasons that I'd be happy to discuss, starting with the fact that people all over the world love their families.
Anyhow, blood transfusions are commonly used in the developed world, often successfully preventing both maternal death and most significant harm to the fetus. Blood transfusion programs have also been successful at reducing mortality rates for ladies who can reach them in Nigeria and other places.
As wonderful and necessary as these efforts are a quick glance at reality shows us they can't be the only solution for a problem that must be solved now - with the resources and tools we have now and within the ladies environments as they are now. In addition to having significant storage and infrastructure requirements, rapid access to intervention from trained medical staff is required for blood transfusions to have success preserving maternal health let alone fetal health.
Some of you may be familiar with the Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Here's some info from the University of California, San Fransisco Bixby's Center for Global Reproductive Health Safe Motherhood Program:
The Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment
What is it?
The NASG is a simple neoprene and Velcro device much like the bottom half of a wet suit split down the middle.
How does it work?
When in shock, the brain, heart, and lungs are deprived of oxygen because blood accumulates in the lower abdomen and legs. The NASG reverses shock by returning blood to the vital organs. This will restore the woman’s consciousness, pulse, and blood pressure. Additionally, the NASG slows blood flow to the lower body and decreases bleeding.
How is the NASG used?
After a simple training session, anyone can put the garment on a bleeding woman. Once her bleeding has stopped, she can be safely transported from a home birth or primary health care center to a referral facility for emergency obstetrical care.
Preliminary results of the NASG study
In the pilot Egypt study, bleeding of women who were suffering from various forms of obstetrical hemorrhage (e.g. ruptured ectopic pregnancy, post-abortion complications, post-partum hemorrhage) and were put in the NASG decreased by 50% as compared with women in the control group who did not use the NASG.
After the NASG saves a woman's life, it can be kept and used again and again (ideally not more than 100x). And after the very first time a community sees a woman given up for dead has survived, more families are willing to seek treatment for obstetrical hemorrhaging. They realize maternal hemorrhage is no longer a death sentence and they seek medical care.
We already have an inexpensive, effective tool to greatly improve the current deplorable situation and it's getting nowhere near enough use! Every midwife in the world should have two of these! Damn, maybe every household in developing areas should have one since even "Our Old Pal Bill" crumbled and slashed contraception and other womens reproductive health services for the world's women when years ago faced with those conniving Congressional Republicans.
So this came to light again for me after my recent hospital stay. They put me in those tight-as-hell support stockings for a different (far less serious but still circulation related) reason. Three days later my hubby hinted that at that point it was ok to take 'em off already. But I know what they are and what they do so natch I brought 'em home. I used one today along with a bunch of dried beans & rice from the pantry to make a perfect microwave-powered 'heating pad' for my sore shoulder and neck. Truly wonderful. And yes, I'm still either delusional or euphoric because I feel like a rich woman since I have everything I need.
What about our lady friends in Africa who demand, rightfully, their place in the world? More specifically for now, how do we get NASGs and training out in the field where they can help people today? The best I could come up with is donate or volunteer with the Bixby's Center for Global Reproductive Health. And I'm truly wiped for now - time for some recovery. I'd love to hear anything that anyone else knows or finds out. This has to change.