Imagine the array of intense emotions that come with learning that you or someone you love is pregnant. Often there is great joy, mixed with some uncertainty, relief, apprehension, fear, or a combination of all of the above and more.
Every pregnancy is unique, but one thing that most mothers in the United States share is a comfort knowing that they will have access to adequate care during their pregnancy and for their child after birth. Unfortunately, this is not a sentiment that many women in rural Guatemala are able to share. To shed light on this great need, MercyWorks has developed a brief informational resource — Working Toward New Life and New Hope: The State of Women’s and Children’s Health in Rural Guatemala.
Guatemala has some of the poorest outcomes for maternal and infant health across all of Latin America. Among indigenous communities, most of whom live in poor, marginalized rural regions of Guatemala, the women experience high maternal death rates and are twice as likely to die from preventable pregnancy-related causes than non-indigenous women and women in urban areas.
In this guide you will find:
The Infant and Maternity branch of the Bethany Center was recently built to help combat these high infant mortality rates. The center provides prenatal, neonatal, and postnatal care. It also provides medical services and support to mothers as they care for themselves during and after pregnancy and for their infants after birth. Your support of this center — both your prayers and financial gifts — make a real and immediate impact in the lives of these mothers and children.
We hope this guide shines light on the great need of the families in rural Guatemala and offers hope for how things can change for the better, made possible through the generous support of the MercyWorks community. God bless you for your prayers and support!