Hope is in the hands of trained local nurses. They are the clear example of why students decide to pursuit careers in the healthcare field with options like utmb.edu/hr/careers/.

One way to reach the Global Goals and achieve a healthy world for all is to make sure no mother dies during pregnancy and childbirth. Reaching this target depends on training local nurses to treat the leading cause of death for moms in developing nations: postpartum hemorrhage, or severe bleeding after childbirth.

This condition is treatable. Unfortunately, for moms in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, healthcare providers often have little training in how to manage conditions like postpartum hemorrhage. Moms in sub-Saharan Africa have a devastating 1.5 in 1000 chance of dying from postpartum hemorrhage.

But, there is hope. This hope isn’t found in expensive tools, costly drugs, or visiting doctors. Hope is in the hands of trained local nurses.

A nurse in rural Kayogoro Health Center in Burundi recently encountered a mom bleeding excessively after birth. No ambulance was available to transfer the mom to a larger hospital. With little time to spare, the nurse drew on the postpartum hemorrhage training she received from LifeNet International.

“What helped me very much was the protocol LifeNet taught for treating postpartum hemorrhage,” said the nurse. “I followed the protocol and found placental remnants causing the bleeding. So, I did a uterine revision and the hemorrhage stopped! Had it not been for postpartum hemorrhage training, the patient would have lost her life. But, instead, she is alive and healthy!”

LifeNet is committed to ensuring that all moms can have a safe and healthy pregnancy, and a major piece of that puzzle is arming health workers with tools to tackle postpartum hemorrhage. Learn more about our mission to improve health for moms everywhere.

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Header Photo: Kristy Carlson