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Birthing in rural Haiti a miracle all its own

J.O. Haselhoef

May 28, 2021 |

Haitian Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Haiti

Midwives for Haiti (MfH) is one of the Haitian or American-based organizations working to address Haiti's alarmingly high maternal and infant death rates. MfH trains skilled birth attendants, through an 18-month curriculum taught by Haitian professionals. It also trains the matwòns, midwives who attend most births in Haiti. Its network of community clinics serve more than 6,000 patients annually, and hospitals and clinics are hiring its trained attendants.

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This pregnancy test came back positive for the environment

Talib Visram

May 19, 2021 |

FastCompany |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States

Pregnancy tests account for two million pounds of plastic waste a year. If you were born before the 1980s, chances are your mother's pregnancy test is in a landfill. Since its creation in the 1970s, pregnancy tests remained the same; as single-use plastics that are not biodegradable. The founders of Lia Diagnostics sought to change that by revolutionizing the design and creating a pregnancy test made out of paper.

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Bringing Midwifery Back to Black Mothers

Sarah Weiser

May 13, 2021 |

Retro Report |

Video |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

Black midwifery has deep cultural roots, especially in the South as a remnant of the medical profession's neglect of Black women. Though the tradition largely died out, and nurse-midwives have become more professionalized, the latter-day profession is largely white. Choices, the Memphis Center for Reproductive Health, is training Black midwives and returning the practice to its communal roots to give Black mothers better care than they get from mainstream obstetrics and to combat the high maternal-mortality rate in the U.S.

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Black Mothers Face Dangerous Health-Care Disparities. Can Midwives Bridge the Gap?

Sarah Weiser

May 13, 2021 |

The New Yorker |

Multi-Media |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

Choices - Memphis Center for Reproductive Health provides midwifery services and trains new generations of midwives, with a focus on improving the experiences of women of color. Midwives played a central role in Black communities for centuries and research shows that women with low-risk births have better emotional and physical outcomes with midwives. Women also express a greater sense of trust and understanding with Black midwives, who can relate to their experiences as women of color in the healthcare system. Midwives take more of a holistic approach to treating women’s emotional and physical needs.

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How rechargeable tricycles are saving pregnant mothers and newborns in rural Zimbabwe

Farai Shawn Matiashe

May 03, 2021 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Wedza

Mobility for Africa provides electric tricycles, called Hambas, to take pregnant women to and from health appointments. Mobility is critical to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and the three-wheel tricycles are easy to drive on rural roads. They run on a lithium battery that can be charged in about six hours using renewable energy and a single charge gets about three trips. The transportation allows women who live far from clinics and cannot afford transportation be able to access medical care. About 50 Hambas currently take women to and from doctor appointments during pregnancy until after delivery.

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For this Nonprofit, Ending Female Genital Mutilation is a Mission

Ekpali Saint

April 20, 2021 |

Prime Progress |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nigeria

The Society for the Improvement of Rural People educates communities about the physical and mental health dangers of female genital mutilation. Focusing on the five rural communities where FGM is most practiced, SIRP begins by gaining the support of religious and community leaders and then works with them to organize bigger community events where they advocate ending the practice. A particularly effective strategy has been showing a graphic and emotional video of girls undergoing the practice and women dealing with after-effects as adults. Anecdotal evidence shows that the group has changed some minds.

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The Videos Saving Lives in the Developing World

Jonathan Levine

April 19, 2021 |

Stanford Social Innovation Review |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: South Sudan

As a way to help train frontline health workers in developing countries about childbirth practices and child health, a nurse practitioner launched a video production project to offer short instructional films. In the 10 years since launching the project, the films have overall been viewed "more than 450 million times on YouTube, and they've been downloaded more than 200,000 times in 200 countries."

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How META is helping women deliver safely in rural Benue communities

Desmond Okon

March 31, 2021 |

Business Day |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Gboko

Maternal Expert Thinking Analyzer is a pilot project to prevent maternal mortality that uses a mobile diagnostic, training, and outreach application to help midwives assess the risk of their patients in rural areas. Midwives input data collected from pregnant mothers into the app and generate an automated risk-based assessment score. The pregnant mother then receives a text with advice based on her risk level. A total of 33 midwives across 14 regions are trained to use the app. Initial results indicate that the app has had positive results preventing maternal mortality and even increasing antenatal care.

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Sharing is Caring: Kenya's Only Breast Milk Bank Expresses Care for Vulnerable Newborns

Christabel Ligami

March 29, 2021 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya

To help mothers who aren't able to supply their newborn with an adequate supply of breast milk, a hospital in Kenya has developed a milk bank. At the breast milk bank, new mothers can donate a portion of their supply of milk that is supplied to preterm babies whose mothers have "died or were not present, full-term babies who are sickly and those whose mothers are unable to breastfeed, due to lack of breast milk."

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In Sokoto, emergency ambulances tackling maternal mortality

Rakiya A Muhammad

March 25, 2021 |

RMTimes |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Sokoto

A program in Sokoto State uses 300 ambulances to improve access to emergency care in rural areas, which has significantly improved maternal health outcomes. High costs, limited availability of transportation, and traditional gender norms limited women’s access to care, but the program has made it easier to reach care, and more interactions with health facilities helped shift norms about maternal care. Routine immunizations, prenatal care, and nutrition services have also increased. Committees, made up of local leaders and healthcare officials, maintain the vehicles and provide drivers in each ward.

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