The couple went to Obstetrics Hospital No. 5 in the port city of Odesa, southern Ukraine. The facility is known for its comprehensive maternity care and has gained local fame as the birthplace of quintuplets.
However, shortly after Chebotar gave birth, an air raid warning was sounded across the city, which remains a frequent target of Russian missile and drone attacks. Using a mobile incubator, the medical team quickly transported the newborn and his panicked parents to the hospital’s underground bomb shelter along with other patients.
The transportable incubators are equipped with artificial lung ventilation systems and are powered by UNFPAthe United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, to help bridge the gap in supplies and services facing hospitals across Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict.
Increased complications during birth
Obstetrics Hospital No. 5 has faced unprecedented difficulties amid the ongoing war and has made rapid, unexpected changes to support pregnant women and new mothers in the face of The challenges of giving birth in a war zone.
UNFPA supports frontline maternity care in Ukraine, including mobile nurseries.
The war has caused the rate of birth complications to increase by 12% at this maternity hospital alone, a statistic that highlights the severe impact of stress and disruption on pregnant women, amid daily shelling. the more increased.
“Pregnant women come here not only from Odesa but also from all over the South, close to the front lines,” said Dr. Igor Shpak, a leading obstetrician at the hospital. “The stress and disruption from the conflict has led to higher rates of cesarean sections and premature births.”
New underground bunker
Another person sheltering in the hospital’s bunker was Radionova Alevtyna Viktorivna. The expectant mother was waiting for a medical examination when the air raid siren sounded.
The construction of new bunkers has become an important initiative aimed at supporting and protecting expectant mothers. Ms. Radionova said there is a growing need for safe, well-equipped spaces where women can safely continue their pregnancies despite ongoing threats.
Obstetrics Hospital No. 5 has just built and reinforced bomb shelters. These bunkers are designed to provide security while also being equipped with the necessary medical facilities to ensure that healthcare services can continue uninterrupted during attacks.
The maternity ward at a hospital in Kiev has been moved to the basement and is operating under cross fire. (document)
The health care crisis is deepening
The situation at Odesa’s maternity hospitals reflects a broader crisis affecting Ukraine’s healthcare system. There is an urgent need for continued global support and attention to improve maternity care conditions in conflict areas.
During the first six months of the year, the World Health Organization (WHO) verified 160 attacks on medical facilities throughout Ukraine. This devastation has left a significant gap in maternal and newborn care, with 23% of facilities unable to provide these essential services.
Energy infrastructure in Odesa and across Ukraine continues to be under sustained attack, leading to significant disruption and increased costs for basic services.
With power lines and generating capacity damaged, electricity and heating prices have risen sharply, placing an additional financial burden on families already struggling during the conflict.
These attacks not only impact daily living conditions but also hinder hospitals’ ability to provide consistent care as power outages disrupt critical medical equipment and services.
A mother holds her newborn baby at a hospital in Kiev, Ukraine. (document)
Human costs
The continuous shelling has seriously damaged the mental health of people, including pregnant women. Reports show an increase in premature births and a higher rate of cesarean sections nationwide, which is directly linked to higher stress levels among expectant mothers.
Psychological stress further exacerbates the already challenging conditions under which these women are carrying and giving birth. Breastfeeding rates in the first 6 months also decrease due to financial constraints and inadequate facilities, increasing morbidity in newborns and creating a demand for breast milk in hospitals.
With the ongoing war and the need for reconstruction, government efforts are stretched, and essential health and social service systems are weakening.
The United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is working to fill critical gaps, especially in sexual and reproductive health and rights – areas that are crucial for human well-being. benefit women and babies – by providing medical supplies, equipment and support services. This support is vital so that women in Odesa receive the care they need to safely navigate pregnancy and childbirth.
The newborn was cared for in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, at the Kyiv Regional Perinatal Center in Ukraine. (document)
Support Obstetrics Hospital No. 5
Since 2022, UNFPA has provided more than $68,000 in support, including mobile nurseries and medicines.
Obstetrician Shpak emphasized the important role of outside aid.
“Without this support, we would not have the essential supplies we need, like mobile incubators to move premature babies in emergencies,” he said.
“We need the world to know what is happening here,” Dr. Shpak emphasized. “Our mothers and babies deserve better and we will continue to provide these essential services.”
Learn more about how UNFPA is supporting in Ukraine This.
