Dora Abdullah Salem is one of the thousands of Yemeni women who give birth at home. Dora Abdullah, a 33-year-old woman, an inhabitant of Al-Khokha district, AlHudaydah Gov. Dora is a mother of eight boys-children and she was in her ninth pregnancy, and she does not follow-up her pregnancy as usual as in previous pregnancies, due to the difficult financial conditions that she faces with her family. One morning, Dora’s labor pains started, so her family recalled the midwife of their village in Al-Khokha district, Al-Hudaydah governorate, to help her giving a birth. When the midwife came, she noticed that Dora's abdomen was enlarged, which made her worried that giving birth could be dangerous due to the large size of Dora's abdomen, without knowing the reason, whether it is a multiple pregnancy or an increase in amniotic fluid. The midwife told Dora's husband that she could not risk giving birth to his wife at house and Dora should be taken immediately to the nearest hospital or health center to be sure of the correct diagnosis. The husband and family became nervous when they heard the midwife and they were also worried about the fees of transportation and the long distance to the nearest health center. “Despite the high fees of transportation, I relied on Allah and rented a car. My wife, her brother, and I went to the nearest health center in Al-Khokha district.
When we arrived at the health center, laboratory medical tests were done and we were told that my wife is pregnant with twins and that her birth is considered dangerous and requires her to be transferred to a qualified hospital,” the husband said. The husband continued, saying, “from the results of the laboratory medical tests at the health center, they told me that my wife suffers from anemia, and the blood percentage was “6” and her blood type is “B-”, and the possibility of bleeding after childbirth, as well as the lack of the blood type in the health center”. The husband’s anxiety increased, and he had no longer idea where to go or what to do, at that time the doctor advised them to go to the comprehensive emergency obstetric department at Al Mukha Hospital, where there is a qualified medical team affiliated with Deem for Development Organization, which is providing free services and funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Dora and her family continued their way to Al Mukha Hospital, and they arrived at the sunset. Dora was wellreceived by the medical team and her condition was evaluated by Dr. Rana Al Hammadi by doing the necessary medical tests for Dora, which confirmed the anemia that Dora suffers from, and blood bag was requested from the blood bank in the hospital and was transferred to Dora as soon as possible at the middle of the tension and anxiety of the husband and brother. In the meantime, the delivery room was prepared. Three hours after Dora arrived at Al Mukha Hospital, the first girl was delivered, and after few seconds the second girl was delivered too. “I was hoping from Allah to bless me with one girl-child, and thankfully Allah blessed me with twin (two girl children)” Dora said. The husband ended saying, “I am thankful for Deem and UNFPA for providing free medicines at Al Mukha Hospital because all money I had has been paid for the transportation.” The intervention had a great impact on Dora and her family, which was noticed on their faces and Mam kit has been provided to Dora. “We hope that supporting at Al Mukha Hospital will not be suspended because a lot of BNFs come to here and need such as these health services,” Dr, Rana Al-Hammadi said.