I was taken to the operation theatre right away.” Veronica gave pre-term birth to a baby girl, who is currently being kept in an incubator, where she gets hospital care and regular breastmilk every three hours. Recalling her childbirth experience, Veronica shares: “I was extremely distressed when I learnt that I will be delivering my first child through a caesarian section, how could I? But then the doctors and nurses explained the situation to me and helped me calm down, as that is what was needed to save my life and that of my baby. She aspires to become a nurse and, knowing the importance of care during pregnancy, Veronica never missed any antenatal visit. Veronica is a teacher by profession and teaches children at a nursery school in her neighborhood. I went into the labor, but it could not progress and after three days, I was referred to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) emergency in Lusaka,” she adds. I was scared and was rushed to the nearby government hospital. “Six months later, one morning I woke up with severe nausea and light bleeding. My husband and I were overjoyed,” says Veronica Banda (23). “The first time when I was told that I was two months pregnant, I could not believe it. While asphyxia, prematurity and newborn sepsis remain the leading causes of perinatal and newborn deaths, major causes of maternal deaths include obstetric hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, pregnancy related infections, abortive outcomes, and other indirect causes. Lusaka District, Zambia, May 2023 - Zambia experienced more than 800 maternal deaths and over 7,700 perinatal deaths in 2022.
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