Clinic encourages women to give birth at a hospital
KwaThema - Mothers were encouraged to take care of their pregnancies during the KwaThema Community Health Centre open day.
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Sister Vuyelwa Mahlangu says that the event was hosted to expose pregnant women and residents to the different services offered at the clinic.
She says that many of the pregnant women in the area do not use the facility for giving birth.
“They undergo the pregnancy prenatal classes in the clinic but disappear when they are supposed to give birth.
Read: Pregnancy open day
“We don’t understand their reasons behind this because we have some of the best nurses, doctors and equipment,” she says.
Vuyelwa encouraged pregnant women to start their prenatal classes early in their pregnancy.
“This will help the nurses to monitor the child and the mother until they give birth.
“Giving birth at home is dangerous for both the mother and the child.
“The mother can bleed too much or have a bridge baby which is very dangerous and only a medically trained practitioner will know what to do in such a case,” she adds.
Dietician Summary van der Merwe, shared some of the benefits of breastfeeding, which include keeping the baby healthy.
Read: Pregnant teenagers can get help
“Breast feeding helps fight against diseases and infections, keeps the baby’s teeth clean and healthy, helps mom go back to a healthy weight and protects mom against cancer,” she says.
Summary cautioned women from eating soil during their pregnancy.
“This could have health implications for the mother and the baby,” she says.