Since our health project started we have been sharing in our Newsletter different stories from different women which they have been experiencing in the health sector.
Recently we have produced a short film “TESTIMONIES FROM THE UTERUS” , where different refugee women are testifying on their living conditions and health situation. We continue to receive horrible stories and below is a testimony of a woman who is yet to recover from the shock of giving birth.
“I am Janet a 32years old woman living in this society and recently I almost lost my life while giving birth. As any other lucky refugee woman who had a chance to get a work permit and hence had an insurance card, I attended all the prenatal clinics. All was well until the due date which was estimated by my doctor.
As expected of every woman waiting for her baby, the labour pains always starts and to those who don’t get this always have to get an induced labour. In my case I was induced after extra 10 days passed the due dates which the doctors said was medically good. The induction was through tablets which really worked very fast because the same day the pains started and even the amniotic fluid broke. I thought this the best way to go and the baby would be coming any time, little did I know it was the starting of an almost one week hell of pains.
Every day I took 3 tablets of pain killers and then the doctor said I should take a maximum of 6 tablets which I took for 2 days, Saturday and Sunday. Then I got crazy pains and no signs of opening for the baby to get out even though the amniotic fluid was out. My instincts sensed something was wrong and being the first experience of childbirth I requested for a C-section but the doctor insisted its not okey for them to do it since am under control and they think the baby is safe and me too.
I was given the 7th tablet which didn’t work and they had to terminate the whole painful process for a while with a spinal infusion which at least made me sleep for 24hrs after 48hours of pain, later they changed the tablets to another Tampon like induction which also twice didn’t work and through all this time I was requesting for the removal of the baby but no one could listen to me.
I thought the process was to make me never to think of getting another baby and I promised never again but all in vain. Then I got the infusion kind of induction which almost killed me, on the sixth day, again nothing happened. They had no other option than to rush me to the theatre where the C-section was successfully done.
I thought all was well since the third day we were discharged but on the third week my baby got sick at night. I called the emergency and we were rushed to the nearest hospital. After a couple of test we were admitted and the doctor requested we do a brain scan and found that the baby had a cyst, they said this was due to the prolonged stay in the womb. I was so bitter knowing how many times I requested the removal of my baby through
CSection but all in vain. The paediatrician said it was not correct to wait for six days after the amniotic fluid was out without success and though they consider normal birth the best, it doesn`t work for everybody.
For me questions remain – Why should I suffer so much and to the extent of my baby getting a cyst in her brain? Do I have the right to decide how I want to get my baby?”
