Helmand, Afghanistan –  Access to a health facility and the skilled services of a midwife turned out to be lifesavers for Khatema, who found out she was giving birth to twins at the time of her labour.

Khatema, 45, already a mother of six children, was aware of the challenges of childbirth. She was worried about her situation, knowing that her delivery was near. However, the cost of services at a private clinic hindered her from getting regular antenatal care.

Fortunately, they learned about the Family Health House (FHH) in the next village as she reached her due date. “The Imam at the mosque in the nearby village of Nasiran informed my husband about the Family Health House in the village,” Khatema said.

And so when Khatema started having labour contractions, her husband promptly brought her to the FHH with midwife Parwin ready to assist her with the childbirth.

“Khatema was in a dire situation when they reached the clinic,” Parwin recalled. She assessed Khatema’s condition and found out that she was about to deliver twins, which could potentially complicate the delivery. 

“She was extremely anxious, but I reassured her that everything would be fine,” Parwin said.  The midwife used the partograph to carefully monitor the progress of the birth. The babies were born 20 minutes apart without any complications.

Through Parwin's skills as a midwife at the FHH, supported by UNFPA with funding from the Government of Japan, seeing her healthy twins was a moment Khatema would never forget.

Before leaving the FHH, the midwife guided the new mother on how to care for herself and the twins, including information on breastfeeding, personal hygiene, immunization, and birth spacing.

Economic difficulties in Afghanistan have created additional obstacles for women and girls in accessing crucial reproductive health services. However, the presence of FHH in local communities has been vital, offering life-saving services to women like Khatema at no cost and in a timely manner.