The clinical officer in Kabudula, Aubrey, wrote to us yesterday relaying another amazing story.  ”Glad to inform you that misoprostol you gave us saved a woman’s life.  On 12/27/11 the 20 yr old woman came to the hospital maternity ward with heavy vaginal bleeding, extremely low blood pressure, fast heart rate, sweaty and pale.  She had delivered at home but the placenta did not come out so she continued to bleed heavily.”  The diagnosis of retained placenta was made, the placenta was removed by Aubrey, he gave her IV fluids, IV oxytocin (to stop the bleeding) but despite all of this, the bleeding continued and her life was in the balance.  ”The bleeding immediately stopped after giving the misoprostol.  Friend, without this medicine, we would have lost the young lady.  The patient relayed her gratitude to WAM for donating the medicine, otherwise she would have died.  Both mom and baby are now doing fine.”

Maternal mortality rate in Malawi is among the highest in the world.  Only about 50% of women in Malawi have a skilled attendant at their delivery and approximately 1 in 36 Malawian women will die during child birth.  The story above is atypical only in the fact that she was saved.  It’s these low cost, high impact, life saving interventions that WAM strives to continue.  Thank you to our donors who have helped save another life.  Each life matters.