Hanan Hussein – Women in Development and Peace
Reproductive health is a fundamental issue directly impacting women’s health and their effective role within the family and society. It is also crucial for ensuring the birth of healthy children. However, women face significant challenges in accessing adequate reproductive health services, particularly given the difficult circumstances in Yemen.
This report explores societal views on the importance of reproductive health programs and services, highlighting the challenges these services face and the impact of deteriorating reproductive health on women, families, and Yemeni society as a whole.
Exorbitant Prices
Dr. Muneera Abdullah, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, noted that poverty and the husband’s weak economic condition prevent women from properly monitoring their pregnancies. She explained, “Women often forgo treatment due to lack of sufficient funds and a lack of awareness about the importance of follow-up and adherence to the specialist’s recommendations.”
Um Hasan, a customer at a pharmacy, emphasized the need for strict oversight by relevant authorities on pharmacies regarding the sale of medicines. She stated, “There must be oversight of pharmacies when selling medicines; despite the unavailability of some supplies from the centers, I was forced to go to the pharmacy to buy them despite my difficult economic situation. This might make me hesitant to visit the centers in the future, especially since we don’t have a stable income.”
She continued, “Like other citizens, I find that some pharmacies lack conscience and raise prices unchecked, exploiting the conflict. I buy medicine for a certain amount and find it at other pharmacies at a different price. This is a problem that needs addressing.”
Previous Experiences and Severe Complications
Najwa Yaseen, a pregnant woman in her thirties, confirms that the influence of mothers and grandmothers remains strong on some pregnant women; they repeat sayings like, “This is what our mothers experienced,” leading some to disregard the doctor’s advice.
Najwa explained that some still encourage home births without medical supervision or sterile instruments, exposing both mother and child to significant risks. She added, “Modern methods and sterile instruments must be adopted to avoid these risks to the mother and child.”
Laila Abdul-Rahman, 24, described her experience with monitoring her reproductive health, noting that this monitoring gave her a sense of security throughout her pregnancy. She emphasized that her adherence to medical checkups helped her avoid the risks faced by some of her friends who did not pay attention to their health, leading some to serious complications that almost resulted in hysterectomy.
In the same context, Naseem Ali recounts her experience with her second pregnancy; she says, “Because of the media campaigns on the radio, I was encouraged to regularly follow up with the doctor during my second pregnancy, which helped me avoid the complications I faced in my first pregnancy.”
She adds, “There’s a big difference. In this pregnancy, I followed up with the doctor regularly and knew what to avoid and what was allowed, unlike my first pregnancy, when I wasn’t sufficiently aware, and I felt much more tired.”
Services Provided and Their Impact
Regarding the most prominent services provided by reproductive health centers, Noor Yusuf, a nurse at a hospital specializing in mothers and children, indicated that the services include providing medical advice, monitoring the health of the mother and child, scheduling childbirth, providing nutritional advice, and caring for the mother from the moment of pregnancy until childbirth.
Um Yusuf, a housewife, recounts her experience, saying, “When I got married, the first thing I did was look for ways to regulate pregnancy, and I went to the hospital and benefited from the guidance of the specialist doctor, who guided me on how to plan for my children appropriately so that I could meet their needs in a way that suits my situation.” She stressed the importance of this regulation, saying, “This is extremely important.”
Um Yusuf pointed to her neighbor’s experience, saying, “Her children came consecutively, which negatively affected her health and her ability to raise them and provide for their needs.” She commented, “This is the negative impact of a lack of awareness of the importance of follow-up and mental health.”
Deteriorating Services
Sawsan Yahya, a new mother, recounts her experience with pregnancy and childbirth amidst deteriorating healthcare services, saying, “The poor quality of services in some centers pushed me, from the fourth month, to look for a hospital that guarantees a safe birth, away from the risks resulting from negligence, poor hygiene, and sterilization.” She adds, “After the death of my brother’s wife due to an infection in her cesarean section and contracting a serious virus that led to her death, I was afraid of pregnancy and childbirth for a long time. But with my husband’s insistence on his desire to have a child, I started an intensive search through my sisters and friends for a specialized and trustworthy doctor to follow up with me, and a hospital where I feel confident about its cleanliness and its ability to perform a safe birth.”
Jamila Mas’ad, a service provider and supervisor of maternal and child health at a specialized center, explains that the difficult circumstances Yemen is going through as a result of consecutive conflicts and crises have led to a shortage of some medicines for pregnancy regulation, making them difficult to obtain even by purchasing them, in addition to the lack of necessary support from organizations. She adds, “This shortage has caused some problems in some cases.”
She adds, “The ongoing conflict in Yemen has led to an increase in pregnancies under unsuitable health conditions for some women who could not prevent pregnancy or enjoy continuous health monitoring due to the deterioration of the security situation; armed conflicts have posed a major obstacle to movement, especially for women living in remote areas, making the long distance an additional challenge.”
She clarifies that the deteriorating economic situation has contributed to a decline in the standard of living below the poverty line, preventing many women from obtaining the necessary support and required healthcare.
She pointed out that the lack of organizational support for essential materials and medicines that were previously available has caused a major crisis in reproductive health centers. However, she mentioned that by the end of 2024, some resources were provided, while some other materials are still unavailable for undisclosed reasons.
In the same context, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Yemen issued its 2024 report, which highlighted the devastating impact of the conflict on the healthcare system in Yemen. The report stated that approximately 5.5 million women of reproductive age, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially in rural districts and those near the front lines, face significant challenges in accessing reproductive health services.
The report also explained that less than half of births are assisted by qualified medical personnel, and only one in three births takes place in health facilities. This is due to the severe shortage of medicines and essential medical supplies, in addition to the significant shortage of specialized personnel.
Key Solutions
Dr. Muneera Abdullah talks about the necessary proposals and solutions for developing and supporting reproductive health centers, pointing to the importance of raising awareness of the need for these medical centers. She emphasizes the need to support and develop them, qualify those working in them to acquire knowledge of modern medicines, and the importance of intensifying awareness among husbands and wives regarding reproductive health and the importance of medical follow-up.
She says, “The community must be aware of the need for a pregnant mother to have monthly follow-up, and if necessary, weekly, to avoid the risks associated with the duration of pregnancy. Finally, we must understand the value of having a new child as a blessing that must be preserved and cared for in all aspects.”
Jamila Mas’ad points out that the most prominent solutions are providing support and assistance to obtain the necessary resources and medicines that help maintain the health of the woman and her child, and regulate pregnancy, which contributes to the child’s rehabilitation and upbringing in a good way, in addition to the psychological and practical preparation for having other children in the future.
In conclusion, these opinions highlight the urgent need to adopt comprehensive strategies to improve reproductive health services, which enhance the health of mothers and children and alleviate the burdens associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Reproductive health is a fundamental right for every woman, but women in Yemen face significant challenges in accessing these essential services, ranging from societal to security difficulties. However, it is necessary to take effective steps to avoid any harm that may befall future generations of Yemeni children.
This requires concerted efforts from concerned parties, civil society institutions, and international organizations to provide the necessary health services, raise awareness of the importance of reproductive health, and work to change negative behaviors surrounding this issue through comprehensive awareness programs that reach all segments of society. If these goals are achieved, we hope to see future mothers facing fewer challenges and experiencing safe births, which will contribute to improving public health and the well-being of future generations in Yemen. Are we ready to work together to ensure this better future?