Re: [ozmidwifery] Midwifery in East Timor

[Denise Hynd]

Dear Margaret I respond as one who spent time in PNG in the 1980's as a midwifery tutor where I actually  learnt more from the village/traditional culture of birth there than here   until I became involved with Homebirth women and midwives!!   As in other countries including Australia in the past, I suspect a large proportion of the higher maternal and neonatal mortality rate in Timor is more a reflection of the poor state of the nutrition, housing and sanition of the people than their birthing practices.   For example where I was in PNG most women had hookworm, malaria with enlarged spleen and other diseases we do not! Haemoglobin in PNG was rarely more than 6!!   But the women who were not western educated knew their bodies gave birth and nutured their babies Thus the traditional women taught me alot about how to labour, birth and breast feed  babies   But the western educated would be good patients and therefore have many similar problems as our women for example get on the beds and need drugs, forceps etc! I understand now the Safe Motherhood programs and similar efforts concentrate teaching hygeine to traditional birth attendants and otherwise re-inforcing their knowledge of active birth abilities I understand there are web sites for this and similar teaching programs for TBAs? Denise Hynd   "Let us support one another, not just in philosophy but in action, for the sake of freedom for all women to choose exactly how and by whom, if by anyone, our bodies will be handled."   ? Linda Hes ----- Original Message ----- From: Margaret Aggar To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2005 12:34 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] Midwifery in East Timor Dear All,   I am a Midwife and Childbirth Educator working on the Central Coast of NSW.  I went to East Timor in May, after hearing that their mortality rate is 100 times that of Australia!  Only 10% of the women birth with a trained professional present.  Many birth alone, or with an untrained relative or friend.  There are village women who assist with births in the remote villages.  One village I visited was a 9 hour bus trip from Dili (just 180 kms away).    I have been asked to provide some training for these women in the remote villages so that they are able to better care for these women and reduce the poor outcomes, and to be able to recognise problems during the pregnancy so that they can be moved into Dili before birth.   I am working on a training package at present, which will need to be translated into Tetum.  The training will take place at a Clinic in Dili where there are about 60 births / month.  I also need to become more fluent in their language - Tetum.  I will return to East Timor either later this year, or early next year.    This is a voluntary venture, and the training will be provided free of charge for the village women, with accomodation included.  I will be looking for sponsorship for this as well as resources for these women to use in their villages at the completion of the training.  It is anticipated that this will be on-going, with maybe two trips / year to check and see how they are going and provide more training.  There are 5 women interested in the training at present.   If there is anyone who may have an interest in assisting with this training, or assisting in some way, or would like to know more, please contact me via email.   Regards,   Margaret Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.7.3/15 - Release Date: 14/06/2005