Maternal Health in Rural Tanzania: A Young Mother's Story
Disclaimer: The following story contains sensitive content and mentions of baby loss, which may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
Naisiae
“When I gave birth to my first child, it was a horrible experience. I was in labor for a long, long time. The nurses kept shouting at me that I wasn’t walking long enough and that if I wanted my baby to come, I would have to stop being lazy and keep walking. And walking, I did. Finally, they sent me for a C-section when I had no more strength left. Unfortunately, it was too late. My baby, a girl I looked forward to and would name after my mother, was dead.”
This is the story of Naisiae*, a 25-year-old girl and her supportive mother. They live in a village in Ngorongoro, 96 miles from FAME. Four years ago, at only 21, Naisiae suffered a traumatic birth experience that resulted in the death of her child. After this, she swore never to have children as she was too traumatized to go through childbirth again. That was until she came to FAME as an intern in the Pharmacy Department.
“When I was in college, I applied as an intern to FAME as part of my pharmacy degree and worked here for four months. During this time, I would pass by the maternity ward every day, as this was the only way to get to the pharmacy storeroom. The more I observed the pregnant women before and after delivery, I quickly realized how well they were cared for at FAME. There was no one shouting at them. Nobody was forcing them to do things they didn’t want or could not do in their condition. The women were always smiling and friendly and that’s when I realized that my birth experience was not normal. Giving birth did not have to be a dehumanizing experience.”
Naisiae (right) poses with her mother (left) and Baby Blessing (center)
After her internship, Naisiae finished her degree and decided to give motherhood another chance. Inspired by the proverbial statement, “To know the hidden truths of a place, one must walk its halls, not as a visitor but as a dedicated laborer,” she had seen enough to trust FAME to offer her a safe, supportive delivery.
As an intern, Naisiae gained unique insights and first-hand experiences of how FAME’s maternity ward operates. It was soon clear that the public portrayal of FAME’s maternity ward as offering quality, patient-centered and compassionate care aligned with the reality behind the scenes.
Naisiae was determined to give birth at FAME when she got pregnant, but due to the long distance from her home, she could not attend the monthly prenatal clinics. She attended a local clinic closer to home and planned to deliver the child at FAME.
“I went into labor 18 days before my due date. My mother and I panicked as we were not ready. We thought we had more time to make plans for the birth. Luckily a neighbor who owns a car offered to bring us to FAME.”
Once at FAME, Naisiae was rushed to the maternity ward. She wanted to try a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC), but the doctors decided she needed a C-section due to complications.
“You would think this would be traumatizing for me, especially because of what happened the first time. But I had full confidence in the doctors. I had seen them do this successfully many times, so I knew I was in good hands. My mother needed a little more assurance, she was very sad and felt like history was repeating itself, but I assured her if anyone could deliver this child successfully, it would be the FAME team.”
Naisiae’s c-section went well and she delivered a healthy baby girl! Her mother is ecstatic and quotes her favorite verse from the bible, one with a message of hope and restoration.
“My favorite bible verse is where God says that he will make up for the losses we suffer and bless us with renewed prosperity. This came true for us today. God has blessed us with a baby girl through FAME, just like the one we lost. Thank you, FAME, for doing God’s work. We are thankful.”
Mama Naisiae
“I am happy I survived another surgery and my girl is healthy. I have named her ‘Blessing’ because she is exactly that, a blessing!”
“Thank you, FAME, for everything. The care, service and support that you have given me have been amazing. It has been wonderful to reconnect with my former colleagues and introduce them to my baby.”
*The patient's name has been changed to protect her privacy and permission was secured to share her story. The quotes from this interview have been translated from Swahili to English.