Standing in the Gap

It is hoped that this year is the year in which the T-RAD Clinic can offer birthing services, although moving ahead on this has been slowed by the global pandemic that is COVID 19. Despite COVID, women continue to be pregnant and have babies. In the meantime, we stand in the gap for the women of both our rural areas and the towns. It is sobering to think what these women will endure, particularly when they don’t have any option but to come if they want to live. Naw Wah Hsu Paw came in February, heavily pregnant with her 11th baby, and visibly fatigued. There was no nearby clinic, yet she was aware that her blood pressure was high. She didn’t need her BP to be measured – her body was telling her it was high. She was checked and given a small amount of unknown medicine by a traveling medic who recommended she come to us for review. So, they began the trek to get to our clinic. Thankfully, they were able to access a motorcycle to bring them, and she didn’t have to walk too far.
Her blood pressure was incredibly high, and she was quite unstable. Fortunately, she was at the end of her pregnancy. In previous pregnancies she had had complications with elevated blood pressure, and knew it was something quite serious. She told us her second last pregnancy had been quite complicated and scary. We were able to give her a thorough assessment and start her on antihypertensive meds, transfer to a hospital and support her care there. At the hospital, she was further stabilised with more medicines and a caesarean section was planned. It was too much to hope for, but quietly we were hoping that they would also be able to offer a tubal ligation. This mama was not wanting more pregnancies, and recognised her increasing risk over the last 3 pregnancies specifically. Over here it is a complex procedure to get permanent contraception. It’s not so long ago in Myanmar that all forms of contraception were outlawed. Due to her history and her current health and the risk to her life ongoing, the doctor was able to offer and perform the tubal ligation. Naw Wah Hsu Paw and her husband were both thankful of a healthy baby and the reality that pregnancy would create no further ill health for her or stress for their family.

Mon, EMA Lead Midwife & SPM Maternal Health Project Coordinator

Monica Parker is from New South Wales, Australia and is a registered nurse and midwife. She has been living and working in Thailand and Myanmar since 2009 and is the Co-ordinator of SPM’s Maternal Health Program. She is seconded to work with Earth Mission Asia’s Physician Assistant program based in Kyaukkyi, Myanmar. It is Monica’s dream to train a strong core of professional midwives to serve the Karen people in the remote areas of Karen State. She also wants to help set professional standards in maternal health care. This includes identification and appropriate management of high-risk pregnancy and birth.

Mon is based in Kayaukkyi, Myanmar. She is married to Saw Eh Hsu and, they have two precious twin boys.