This morning I
could not find the doctors to do rounds with them. I suppose I am not all that surprised.
I spent my morning in the Fetal Maternal Clinic. Thursdays the staff conducts
an antenatal clinic. I was pleasantly surprised as to how many women/girls with
their significant others attended; there was about 20 couples and 2 single
women/girls. I feel as though I cannot categorize pregnant 14 year olds as
women yet, even though they are obviously sexually active and reached puberty.
The staff and I spent the morning drawing blood, giving tetanus shots,
screening for malaria and anemia, measuring fundal height, listening to fetal
heart rates with a fetal scope, determining the lay of the fetus, giving out
prenatal vitamins and iron, checking blood pressure, and weighing the expectant
mothers. The majority of the women/girls were in their mid to late 2nd
trimester; with no way to know for sure if you are pregnant in the village
women usually wait until they can feel the baby move before coming to the
clinic. Quickening (first movement) can happen as early as 16 weeks (I
think). Ideally women should be getting
prenatal vitamins during their first trimester, but currently I am happy that
people even show up!
I made a
chocolate cake for dinner. It was heaven and I usually don’t even like cake.
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