• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Snack
      • Lunch
      • Appetizer
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Ingredient
      • Apple
      • Beef
      • Blueberry
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Cranberry
      • Peach
      • Pumpkin
      • Squash
      • Strawberry
      • Tomato
      • Vegetables
      • Zucchini
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Baking
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • No Bake
      • One Dish
      • Slow Cooker
    • Type
      • Breads and Rolls
      • Cakes and Muffins
      • Condiments
      • Cookies and Bars
      • Drinks
      • Food for Kids
      • Gluten-Free
      • Main Dish
      • Pies and Crisps
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Wraps
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies
      • Soup
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • DIY
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printables
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing
  • Family Life
    • Giveaways
    • Lifestyle
    • Marriage
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Pet Care
    • Special Needs
    • Time Management
    • Travel
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas

A “Gram” Looks at Health Care for Women and Children in Bolivia

August 11, 2011 by DebW

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail

This is a photo of my grandsons. One born this past December, full term, weighing in at 7lb. 11oz. The little guy below was born in February of 2008, weighing only 1lb. 9oz.

I am thankful to say that both boys are happy and very healthy today.

In December, I was thrilled to be with my daughter in the delivery room when my grandson was born. Those memories initiated my thoughts about the experience of pregnancy and deliveries in the United States vs. neonatal care and birthing in Bolivia.

The World Health Organization provides stastistics about health care for mothers and infants around the world.

The following are comparisons between the U.S. and Bolivia:

  • 66% of women in Bolivian cities and 50% in rural areas have a skilled professional attend the delivery of their babies vs. 99% of  U.S. women.
  • 55% of Bolivian women give birth at home.
  • Maternal mortality rate is .29% in Bolivia  vs. .o1% in the U.S. (Maternal mortality is defined as – the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy, irregardless of the duration or cause of the pregnancies end.)
  • The lifetime risk of dying while giving birth is 1 in 150 in Bolivia vs. 1 in 2100 in the U.S.
  • Infant mortality in Bolivia is 42.3 per 1000 births vs.  6 per 1,000 in the U.S.
  • In Bolivia 1 in 4 infants will not receive post delivery medical care.
  • The mortality rate for children under the age of five in Bolivia is 54 in 1000 live births vs. 8 in 1000 in the U.S.

Make every mother and child count. ~WHO 2005

Can you imagine being nine months pregnant and having to walk three or more hours to the nearest hospital if you needed medical care?

Can you imagine your fear as a new mom . . .

  • If you couldn’t feed your children?
  • If you didn’t have any way to get clean water?
  • If you couldn’t keep your family healthy because of unsanitary conditions?

We learned last week that this is the way of life in many of the rural communities in Bolivia.

Then we met Ivan and Eva.

Ivan, 27, and Eva 19, live in Viloma, where World Vision has been working with families for 13 years.

So, when their little boy was born weighing a little less than 3 pounds, Eva was able to deliver him in a hospital where he received care for six weeks until he was able to go home.

I’ve tried to compare their NICU experience to that of our grandson and it has been impossible for me to do so without seeing their hospitals firsthand. I have imagined that their fears and concerns were much the same as our children as their love for their little boy was apparent.

As part of their story Ivan said, “God has shown me that my son is a miracle.”

I understood the emotion behind his words. Our family has also known God’s miraculous touch in the life of a child.

Ivan and Eva participate in Marriage Mentoring Couples Workshops where they meet with others to learn about how to treat each other with love and respect. Ivan shared with us that because of the life of his son he wants to be the best husband and father possible.

Witnessing first-hand the work of World Vision

Through maternal and child health care, clean water and sanitation programs, training for the provision of healthy foods and nutrition, mentoring, and education . . . World Vision is lifting communities from scarcity to self-sufficiency and hope.

For just $35 a month:

  • You can change the life of a child.
  • You can improve the life of a family.
  • You can provide hope to a community.

 

Sponsor a child in Bolivia today. Please.

Since the Bolivia Bloggers have returned home we have each allowed the tears to flow. For one of us weeping came suddenly in the cereal aisle of the grocery store. For another the bins of available fresh fruits and vegetables made her cry.

We are each feeling the heavy weight of seeing and knowing the needs of those whose lives crossed paths with ours last week.

This week we are unable to ignore the opportunity we have to share with those whose lives can be changed with the help of individuals like you and me.

 

Written by Deb, wife, mom, “gram,” and busy blogger at Counting my Blessings. Deb is also a contributing editor at 5 Minutes for Faith.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
The Exposure Triangle – Summer Photography Series
Unplug Your Family

About DebW

Deb is a speaker/writer who has lived long enough to know that life can be hard; however, with God's help she gets out of bed each day puts on grace-colored glasses and LIVES.

Deb is also a contributing editor at
5 Minutes For Faith.

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Bringing Moms Together

We are Janice and Susan, twin bloggers and work-at-home moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.

Meet Us…

Work With Us…

Subscribe via Email

to be first to read new posts

Trending Now

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

How To Use A Moka Pot – Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Coffee At Home

How To Use A Moka Pot – Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Coffee At Home

Get Outside and Play with Spray Chalk

Get Outside and Play with Spray Chalk

browse around

  • Posts by Susan
  • Posts by Janice
  • Favorite Recipes
  • Favorite Crafts
  • Giveaways
  • All Posts

Footer

Recipes

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies with a Clever Decorating Trick

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies with a Clever Decorating Trick

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and History

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and History

Easy Valentine Sugar Cookies

Easy Valentine Sugar Cookies

Crafts/DIY

Summer Word Search Puzzles For Kids

Summer Word Search Puzzles For Kids

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

Buddy the Elf Hat Pattern – How to Make an Elf Hat out of Felt

Buddy the Elf Hat Pattern – How to Make an Elf Hat out of Felt

Giveaways

Holiday Gift Guides and Christmas Giveaway 2024

Holiday Gift Guides and Christmas Giveaway 2024

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Women

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Women

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 5 Minutes for MomTheme by Melissa Rose Design and Once Coupled