Laos: The Journey to Safer Deliveries
Nestled deep in the remote hills of northeastern Laos, Mrs. Ting lives a quiet life in a small village with her husband and four children. But her journey to motherhood was anything but quiet.
“When I had my first and second child, I had severe morning sickness and headaches. . . and had difficulty breathing when I slept,” she recalls. “During the first trimester, I lost my appetite and wanted to only eat a soft stone which was found 70-80 centimeters buried in the ground. . . I don’t know why I craved it.”
In many parts of Laos, consuming this type of “stone” is not unusual, but Mrs. Ting was likely experiencing pica during her pregnancies—a condition marked by cravings for non-food items like dirt, clay, or ice. With healthcare services limited in her remote village, she was only able to attend one or two antenatal check-ups per pregnancy, well below the recommended four visits.
But everything changed with her third and fourth pregnancies.
Thankfully, these later pregnancies were far easier. What made the difference? Support from traditional birth attendants (TBAs) trained by World Renew. These local TBAs are equipped with essential knowledge—from administering iron tablets to recognizing warning signs in pregnancy.
Since their arrival, Mrs. Ting has seen a transformation in the health of expectant mothers in her village. She marvels at how they understood her strange craving for stones: it was a sign of a mineral deficiency.
“After I started taking the iron tablets from the TBAs, I no longer had severe morning sickness and headaches. I had an appetite, I could sleep well, and my arms and legs were not numb. I felt healthier and could breathe easily,” she shares.
Today, Mrs. Ting is full of gratitude. Grateful for the TBAs. Grateful for safer pregnancies. And grateful that all women in her village now have the support they need for healthier births and brighter beginnings.
Thank you for your generous support of World Renew’s mom and baby health programs—together, we’re transforming the journey of motherhood for women like Mrs. Ting, bringing hope, health, and safety to every birth.
Laos: The Journey to Safer Deliveries
Nestled deep in the remote hills of northeastern Laos, Mrs. Ting lives a quiet life in a small village with her husband and four children. But her journey to motherhood was anything but quiet.
“When I had my first and second child, I had severe morning sickness and headaches. . . and had difficulty breathing when I slept,” she recalls. “During the first trimester, I lost my appetite and wanted to only eat a soft stone which was found 70-80 centimeters buried in the ground. . . I don’t know why I craved it.”
In many parts of Laos, consuming this type of “stone” is not unusual, but Mrs. Ting was likely experiencing pica during her pregnancies—a condition marked by cravings for non-food items like dirt, clay, or ice. With healthcare services limited in her remote village, she was only able to attend one or two antenatal check-ups per pregnancy, well below the recommended four visits.
But everything changed with her third and fourth pregnancies.
Thankfully, these later pregnancies were far easier. What made the difference? Support from traditional birth attendants (TBAs) trained by World Renew. These local TBAs are equipped with essential knowledge—from administering iron tablets to recognizing warning signs in pregnancy.
Since their arrival, Mrs. Ting has seen a transformation in the health of expectant mothers in her village. She marvels at how they understood her strange craving for stones: it was a sign of a mineral deficiency.
“After I started taking the iron tablets from the TBAs, I no longer had severe morning sickness and headaches. I had an appetite, I could sleep well, and my arms and legs were not numb. I felt healthier and could breathe easily,” she shares.
Today, Mrs. Ting is full of gratitude. Grateful for the TBAs. Grateful for safer pregnancies. And grateful that all women in her village now have the support they need for healthier births and brighter beginnings.
Thank you for your generous support of World Renew’s mom and baby health programs—together, we’re transforming the journey of motherhood for women like Mrs. Ting, bringing hope, health, and safety to every birth.
