Falcon powers – The international organization “Action Aid” has stated that there has been an increase in cases of miscarriage among pregnant women in the Gaza Strip.
The organization explained in a statement today, Saturday, that this increase, which has been confirmed by doctors working in one of the only functioning maternity wards in Gaza, is due to food shortages and the psychological stress resulting from the ongoing danger and displacement, which negatively affects pregnant women.
It pointed out that the Awda Hospital in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp is the only hospital currently providing maternity services such as childbirth and caesarean sections in the central Gaza Strip, while the number of pregnant women coming to the hospital due to severe bleeding and other complications is increasing.
Raed al-Saudi, head of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Department at the hospital, who delivers between 40 to 50 babies daily, despite having only 35 beds, said that miscarriage can occur for several reasons, including the exhaustion of the pregnant woman due to displacement, as well as malnutrition, which is one of the main causes.
He stated that women have come to the hospital with severe bleeding cases, placental abruption and rupture, or postpartum hemorrhage, which poses a great risk to the pregnant woman.
Patient Fadwa, 30, who experienced a miscarriage, said: “I had a miscarriage during the second month of pregnancy, and I was tired and did not receive proper nutrition, and there is nothing to help me keep my child.
My doctor told me that I should take vitamins and medicines like folic acid to prevent malformations, and I also needed to take medication to stabilize my pregnancy. I was able to get the folic acid from the clinic, but I couldn’t get the stabilizing medication.
We searched in many pharmacies but couldn’t find it, and the doctor’s recommendation was rest. I tried to take as much rest as possible, but that was really not possible.”
The head of the Inpatient and Maternity Department at the hospital, Dr. Yasmine, said that the medical staff has documented many cases where pregnant women have lost their fetuses, and there are cases of bleeding, premature birth, or miscarriage.
The postpartum bleeding may be due to malnutrition or anemia, as the bombardment leads to displacement, forcing people to move from one house to another to avoid bombing and death, and these factors can cause direct bleeding and high blood pressure for the woman, which can lead to complete separation of the fetus “placental abruption” and miscarriage.
