Pregnant women in Gaza 'frightened' as dangers around childbirth grow

[cloudypillow]

Amid a deadly war in Gaza, new lives begin. But newborn babies and those still in the womb are among the worst hit by the harsh conditions.

With acute shortages of food, the UN says that one in 10 new babies is underweight or premature. There has also been an increase in miscarriages, stillbirths and congenital abnormalities.

Many mothers are struggling to breastfeed because of their own poor health.

At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, Malak Brees, now seven months pregnant, did not expect to conceive her second child. Six weeks ago, she lost a lot of amniotic fluid, putting her baby in danger.

"The doctors told me it was due to malnutrition and exhaustion... They told me it was in the hands of God - the foetus could survive or die."
While poor nutrition is causing new hazards in pregnancy, childbirth too has become far riskier.

Sometimes Israeli military action and displacement mean that women are giving birth in their tents or shelters with no medical help.

"If mothers are lucky enough to come to the hospitals to deliver their babies, women who give birth vaginally are typically being sent home three to four hours afterwards," says Sandra Adler Killen, an American registered emergency and paediatric nurse, who recently worked at the hospital in Gaza.

Rather than representing the hope of new life, babies have come to epitomise the struggle to survive.

More: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c626ljrp21yo

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cvg5vyp33j1t

I heard this piece and was surprised that it's 'only ' one in ten babies being underweight or premature.

So nine out of ten babies in this population living in a war zone on the edge of starvation are full term and healthy weight? That seems astonishing if true. Weren't we told that many thousands of babies were at imminent risk of death in two days or has that been amended?

I hope contraceptives are readily available in the aid packs that do get through. Those poor women.

I hope they get contraception. Amazed they feel like having sex!

That is terrible.

How horrifying Hamas refuse to stop hoarding aid and selling it, disarm, surrender and release the 58 remaining hostages by so this war can stop.

I’m really surprised Gazan women are choosing to have babies at the moment, though of course I appreciate sometimes pregnancies are unplanned.

I hope contraceptives are available and that these women are able to enforce their use when they need to.

It was not only amended but proved to be a lie.

I’m really surprised Gazan women are choosing to have babies at the moment, though of course I appreciate sometimes pregnancies are unplanned.

Here in the UK, half of pregnancies are unplanned....

How horrifying Hamas refuse to stop hoarding aid and selling it, disarm, surrender and release the 58 remaining hostages by so this war can stop.

The 'war' would not stop if all the hostages were returned, sadly.

Probably explained by the fact that we’re not living in a war zone?

I said Hamas also refuse to disarm and surrender.

Strange you ignored that part.

What evidence do you have to the contrary that Israel wouldn’t be forced to cease operations if that all happened?

Has it been tried yet?

This sums it up neatly.

Bet the Israeli woman who was murdered by a Palestinian while in labour was also frightened.

Tbh not to sound unempathetic but how are people deciding to have kids in a war zone, it must be terrifying. I can’t imagine the fear if you were pregnant or with a newborn. I assume they didn’t get much say in the matter.

Good news though that only 10% of babies are born underweight or premature given that healthcare is going to be non-existent.

Hamas need to quit it and also stop hoarding bloody aid. I saw a video of a Palestinian man collecting aid from the americans and he couldn’t believe it was free, he asked something like 5 times, it was so sad, sad that he was standing in rubble, sad that he couldn’t believe that there was free food, this stuff was supposed to be free all along. Those fuckers have been selling it, it’s not surprising that those with little money are starving.

Its worth noting that its avery common phenomenon for the birth rate to go up in war time. This is quite universal though the drivers vary. The poor position of women in gazan society and the ideological imperative to have lots of children are probably important here.

Women also always bear the brunt of war in particularly awful ways. Again, the need to exceptionalise this conflict is not very helpful.

Again, the need to exceptionalise this conflict is not very helpful
I think it is very important to exceptionalise this conflict when there are so many trying to minimise, deny and lie about what's happening

Again? Have you said this before?

Yes many, many times it is a core part of the argument that much (not all) of the criticism of Israel is driven not by genuine concern for human rights of all people, but by antisemitic desire to demonise Israel.

Ah there we go. Israeli government are doing a good job of demonising themselves. Maybe it's hard to comprehend that people care about other people and don't like seeing them killed, starved, displaced maimed. It is NOT antisemitic to criticise the Israeli government

much (not all)
Much? Suggests majority. Are Palestinians that worthless that people's only concern for them is driven by antisemitism?

Please go back and read what I actially said, not what you want to see.

Apologies so it's not your argument but an argument that gets made?

And have a dictionary to hand too.

7.9% of babies are premature in the UK, and 2.9% are low birth weight (at full term).

ie. about 1 in 10 babies in the UK are either premature or low birth weight. The same as they are saying in the OP.

After a smooth vaginal birth, women go home after about 6 hours here too (and I went home after a C-section after less than 24 hours)

What's your problem?

Yes many, many times it is a core part of the argument that much (not all) of the criticism of Israel is driven not by genuine concern for human rights of all people, but by antisemitic desire to demonise Israel.
This seems pretty clear to me no dictionary needed thanks.

Interesting, I guess the age of your average gazan mum is probably younger than your average british mum though. I’m glad the babies are on the whole being born ok.

I read once there is an upsurge in births after natural disasters as well. I assume that sex is one of the few joys available in tough times. I really hope people are being offered contraception in aid packages though. I dread to think of some of the conditions which would maybe have to be left untreated like pre-eclampsia etc.

My problem is that you misread what I said. Your tone suggests it was deliberate, or at least unapologetic.

I literally apologised! then you came back with a smart ass dictionary comment. Maybe you didn't think my apology was genuine, it was.

Happening to women in Sudan too. Men start wars, women and children suffer.

msf.org.uk/article/sudan-crisis-facing-pregnant-women-conflict-hit-darfur#:~:text=The%20ongoing%20war%20in%20Sudan,access%20food%20and%20clean%20water.