Maternal Mortality in Haiti Leaves Babies Vulnerable

Because of its status of being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti’s maternal mortality rate is estimated to be about 520 out of 1,000 births. Many babies are left without mothers to feed them, and caretakers are forced to watch the babies slowly stave from malnutrition.

Haiti’s Lack of Maternal Healthcare

Roughly 70% of women give birth at home by themselves. For the women who do have access to a midwife or a trained doctor, the necessary medical equipment and a sterile environment are lacking.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are as little as 23 trained health care workers for every 1,000 people. There are about one midwife for every 1,000 pregnant women.

Reasons for Maternal Mortality

Aside from a lack of maternal care like doctors or midwives, mothers also face a higher risk of complications during birth. Oftentimes, maternal mortality is a result from a lack of the necessary equipment for delivering a baby, especially if the mother experiences complications during labor.

Many mothers, about 26%,  die from hypertension during childbirth that results in death. Meanwhile, 23% of mothers die from postpartum hemorrhaging and another 10% of death is a result of infection and obstructions in labor.

Result for the Babies

In Haiti, breastfeeding is one of the few ways to feed babies. Formula is extremely expensive and rare to obtain. So, once a mother dies, the babies are left with few options.

In 2019, 11-month-old Jezil died from malnourishment because her mother died. Jezil’s grandmother could not afford formula and feed Jezil with rice water. Jezil’s grandmother was forced to watch her granddaughter perish from an easily remedied situation if she had access to formula.

Another option for families is to send them to orphanages in hopes that the baby has better access to health care and education. About 25,000 children live in orphanages who have at least one parent or a caretaker alive.

Solutions in the Case of Maternal Mortality

The Potter’s Family is a nonprofit organization based in Saint Louis du Nord in the Northwest region of Haiti. It was founded in November of 2019 by Tore Dobbie. Tore witnessed too many babies dying from malnutrition or being sent to orphanages because their families could not take care of them after the mother died. As a result she began a formula program that is designed to keep families together by providing aid to caretakers who has experienced maternal mortality.

In early 2019, David’s caretaker came to Tore in hopes of finding a solution to feed him. David was found in a pile of garbage and he was taken to a church to see if anyone was willing to take care of him. A woman with a baby volunteered but soon realized she could not feed two babies. Tore provided formula for David, and David stayed with his new family.

Programs like the Potter’s Family give another option for families who have been through maternal mortality. They provide a means to feed their babies so they can stay out of orphanages, and the baby can grow up with their families.