Expectant Mothers Field Clinic: A Healthy Start at Life
Expecting and recent mothers of The GOD'S CHILD Project in Guatemala had a special visit October 19. A group of 19 students, faculty members, and medical professionals led a field clinic in the Atkinson Family Clinic at the Dreamer Center. The group, from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., shared a passion for working with women during pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal. Specifically, the group focuses on women in developing countries, where access to good medical attention is difficult, costly, or non-existent.
The SHU team arrived bright and early Tuesday morning, ready to serve. They brought their own supplies to set up three patient rooms, a waiting room and a pharmacy. Before 8 a.m., there was already a line of anxious mothers waiting to be seen. In contrast with other field clinics, where as many patients as possible are taken, each mother was given no less than half an hour of undivided attention by the team. Each patient received a full physical exam to make sure the pregnancy was going well or the newborns were healthy, but most importantly they each received individualized educational instruction based on their unique health needs and questions.
This individualized attention is so important, especially with first-time mothers, in countries like Guatemala where many women have only a sixth grade education. Perhaps even more influential on infant health than the physical exams themselves, the information about proper prenatal and infant care ensures that Guatemala's newest arrivals have a healthy start to life.
Over the course of the single-day clinic, the SHU team saw over 30 women. If you are interested in a specialized volunteer experience, please contact Corinne Castro at volunteers@anaguatemala.org.
