Maternity in Haiti

Monika Piskorek

Set Ref:175

Date:17/09/2009

Every year in Haiti 2900 women die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth. Poverty, the uneven distribution of health services, weak infrastructure and lack of transportation are all factors that prevent Haitian women from accessing adequate care.

In order to break down the barrier in accessing institutional care, a program of free obstetric care, funded by international organizations, is implemented in several health institutions nationwide since January 2008. While the number of women using maternal services in these hospitals has increased throughout the year, other barriers such as distances or cultural beliefs remain obstacles to a significant growth in institutional birth.

This story introduces us to the conditions in which a minority of Haitian women give birth at a health institution.