Susan Palanji, a 29-year-old mother, experienced a tragedy that could have been prevented with proper medical care. Unemployed but supporting her husband by collecting plastic bottles for recycling, Susan's story reveals the harsh realities many women face.
Susan endured three days of labor pain with no medical intervention, ultimately losing her baby
Being unbooked at a formal clinic, Susan relied on a local midwife for informal check-ups. At eight months pregnant, she moved in with the midwife, sharing one rough floor room with three other pregnant women while the midwife slept on the bed that doubled as the delivery table.
When labor began, Susan was told repeatedly to "just breathe." After three days with no progress, the baby presented feet first. Her hands and legs were tied as the midwife attempted to pull the child out. When this failed, a church leader was called but could not help.
At the hospital, after waiting for a scan, doctors had to cut to widen the birth canal and remove the baby, who had the umbilical cord around the neck and had already died. Her placenta came out in pieces, and she remained hospitalized for one and a half weeks, unable to walk and suffering from high blood pressure.
"If I had booked at the clinic, I would have been referred early, spared the unnecessary pain, and possibly saved my baby's life." — Susan reflects on her experience
Today, Susan carries both physical scars and deep emotional trauma. While she plans to have another child, she remains afraid for her life.
