"Something's wrong with my baby! I need help! This isn't normal!" Olivia is in a panic (true story, name changed for privacy). Her daughter, just a few days old, is crying, her skin damp with sweat. Olivia asks her mum for help, but she just shakes her head and looks away. Olivia calls for the midwife as loud as she can. She feels all alone.
10 days earlier Olivia had arrived at the Good News Hospital by "Madagascan helicopter" - carried a long way to the hospital by her relatives (see picture). She was 31 weeks pregnant with her first baby, and had been convulsing for three days before her arrival. Dr Shannon Petersen (obstetrician) would later reflect that this was one of the worst cases of eclampsia she had seen in her career. Unconscious and still convulsing, her vital signs were very poor. Her baby was still alive, but who knew for how much longer? She needed urgent medical care before a Caesarean section. It took more than an hour for the seizures to stop and for Olivia to be stable enough to survive the operation. Would it be too late?
Nobody expected Olivia's baby to survive the eclampsia. But every now and then miracles happen. Her little daughter was one of them. The tiny baby, weighing just 1.2kg, was not breathing when the surgeons performed the Caesarean. The midwives and doctors immediately initiated resuscitation. Oxygen, heart massage and then: the girl took her first breath! The relief was huge, as was the excitement about this miracle. Severely weakened but still alive, her mother was admitted to the intensive care unit, while the baby was taken to the maternity unit with family members to be cared for.
In Europe, Olivia's daughter would be placed in an incubator and receive intensive medical care. In Mandritsara, this is not possible. The best we can offer for these little babies is Kangaroo Care, where the mother or another relative holds the baby skin to skin on their chest. This closeness is the best way to mimic the in-utero environment to allow the baby to regulate and grow. It is used frequently here, especially with premature babies. As Olivia's daughter was too young and too small to breastfeed, she was given intravenous fluids and fed breast milk via a feeding tube. Two days after the birth, mum was well enough to leave the intensive care unit and was admitted to the maternity unit with her daughter. Everyone was relieved and thankful to the Lord.
However, a few days later: Olivia is pacing back and forth in the large room of the maternity ward. She is restless, calls around loudly and keeps the whole ward awake at night with fiery speeches. At other times, she stares blankly at the posters with Bible verses on the wall and neither her relatives nor the midwives can manage to get a response from her. She is not interested in her baby. She does not want to pump milk or have anything to do with her daughter. Olivia sees and hears things that nobody else does. There is nothing left of her previously cheerful personality. She is completely lost in her psychosis.
Dr Shannon starts the young woman on an antipsychotic drug and moves her to a private room in the hope that Olivia can find some peace and calm there. This seems to work at first; the loud talking decreases, as does the restless wandering around the ward. But now Olivia can hardly get out of bed. She doesn't want to eat, doesn't want to get up, doesn't want to hold her baby... she cries silently for hours every day. Olivia is extremely worried about her daughter and is sure that something is wrong with her. She is very frightened when her baby cries or sweats, even though this is normal for a newborn baby. Even though the midwives and doctors reassure her that her baby is fine and progressing well, the young woman simply cannot believe it and feels all alone. Olivia is started on an antidepressant medication, but these are known to be slow to take effect, and she continues in her state of despair.
Olivia's relatives support her with cooking, cleaning, and feeding both her and the baby. However, they are unable to help her psychologically - they think the young mother is crazy. Mental health issues are very real in Madagascar, but are still quite unknown and usually stigmatised. Sometimes the midwives sit by Olivia's bed, try to pray with her and read to her from the Bible or attempt to sing with her. They try to persuade Olivia to go for short walks or hold her baby. But the young mum completely isolates herself and is unable to take on any of the suggestions or advice. The medical team, midwives and Olivia’s family are incredibly discouraged. Against all odds, the baby and Olivia have survived - but the "real" Olivia is lost somewhere.
The remarkable turning point comes a short time later when her husband arrives at the hospital. Initially he was unable to leave his work, but when he hears about Olivia's desperate condition he makes his way to Mandritsara. He takes care of his wife, listens to her, prays for her, comforts her fears, supports her in every way he can. He motivates her to go for walks and to spend time with their daughter. Olivia's condition slowly starts to improve, and little by little we see glimpses of the original Olivia again. Olivia is recovering day by day and her daughter is steadily gaining weight and strength. About a week later, Olivia is discharged from hospital, followed shortly afterwards by her baby. Both are doing well. The baby is still tiny, but strong and healthy. Olivia, now herself again after nearly a month of significant struggle, is a proud mum and the family travels home together with smiles on their faces.
Good News Hospital Maternity Unit
For many women and children, the maternity unit at the Good News Hospital is the only chance of survival and a future. Many births, like Oliva's, start in remote villages. If complications arise, they have to make the long, arduous journey to the hospital. They often arrive too late. The fact that Olivia and her baby survived and could leave the hospital healthy and happy is a miracle for us and touches us deeply! The honour does not belong to us, but to God.
We would like to help even more women and children and let them experience Jesus' love. The number of patients at the maternity unit has risen steadily year after year since it opened. An expansion of the maternity facilities is urgently needed, so that we can continue to treat as many women and babies as possible, and tell them about Jesus. Plans for this expansion have been drawn, funds have been donated and construction has begun.
New
We have recently launched a blog about the expansion of the Maternity Unit. You may already be familiar with some of the stories and we plan to publish photos of the expansion and updates in the future. Click here to go to the blog.
Thank the Lord for the provision of maternity services at the Good News Hospital, and for the many babies that have been born safely here over the past 27 years.
Pray for the team of midwives who must often care for patients with difficult and dangerous obstetric conditions. Pray that the Lord will give wisdom and skill and that the patients may see the faith and compassion of the midwives in action.
Sometimes babies die and even mothers die. Pray in those cases that the staff may be able to bring comfort from the Lord to the relatives and point them to the Saviour.
Pray for the construction of the new maternity extension. We are very grateful to all supporters who have given so generously towards this and thank God for His gracious provision. Do pray that the remaining funds might come in and contact our treasurer if you would like to know more.