CMMB

Written by Dr. James Ernst Wil Saint-Vil Lovely, a 23-year-old living in Côtes-de-Fer, Haiti, was speechless when she learned she was expecting twins. As her physician at the Bishop Joseph Sullivan Hospital, I could tell Lovely was concerned about risks associated with her pregnancy, and about her babies. But she was full of joy at the same time. Côtes-de-Fer is a rural area. Bishop Joseph Sullivan Hospital is the main health facility that can offer skilled pregnancy and delivery care. Lovely followed antenatal care consultations regularly at Bishop Joseph Sullivan Hospital. Through her regular visits, she learned that her blood pressure was high. At 31 weeks, her pregnancy became complicated. She developed generalized oedema, proteinuria, and seizures—all potentially life-threatening complications during pregnancy. The decision was then made by the team to deliver the twins by c-section. The lives of Lovely and her babies depended on quick action. Lovely received steroid...