Childbirth | Be a Seed for Change

CARE -- You can help stop mothers from dying

Your gift can help mothers live and create bright futures for generations to come.

Francisca gave birth at home because there was no health center nearby in rural Nicaragua. She was lucky — she didn’t endure complications during pregnancy or childbirth. But hundreds of thousands of women and their babies are not as fortunate. Almost every minute of the day a pregnant woman needlessly dies because she can’t get trained medical assistance in time.

Inspired by delivering her own child, Francisca became a community midwife. She’s delivered dozens of healthy babies. Thanks to CARE‘s comprehensive midwife training programs, Francisca’s also saving the lives of mothers. You can help, too, by making a tax-deductible gift to support CARE’s work around the world.

Pregnancy should be a time to celebrate, not a time to fear death. But, in some poor countries, one in seven women die during pregnancy and childbirth. These women aren’t dying because the health community doesn’t know how to prevent their deaths. They are dying because the world doesn’t care enough. Do you?

Women’s lives should be saved because they matter — as humans, as mothers and as valuable contributors to society. At CARE, we’ve learned that healthy mothers are one of the keys to overcoming poverty — they can give their children the foundation they need to chart their way out of poverty for good. Healthy moms have a better chance at giving birth to babies who can thrive and grow up strong, and healthy moms are more likely to earn an income and send their children to school.

That’s why CARE made reducing maternal mortality one of our top priorities. From training women like Francisca to be midwives to educating families about reproductive health, CARE helps save lives and empowers women to create a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Let’s not leave surviving pregnancy, childbirth and infancy to chance. Your tax-deductible contribution can help save the lives of poor mothers and their children — and create a healthier, more prosperous society for all.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE


	Every Woman Deserves Human Rights



	It’s time to start addressing the unique needs of pregnant and parenting mothers behind bars.

My name is Shawanna Lumsey and I was shackled when I gave birth to my son. I’ve made some mistakes in my life, but no expectant mother, no woman, no person should ever be treated the way I was.

Eight years ago, I was convicted of credit card fraud and received a six-year prison sentence. At the time, I was five months pregnant.

I vividly remember the day I went into labor. I was in my cell at the McPherson Unit in Newport, Arkansas. It was very early in the morning and my labor pains were very sharp. I contacted the guard and was given two Tylenol. Those two Tylenol were the only pain pills I ever got.

After some delay, I was taken to the hospital. The pains were so intense that I literally had to grab the wall to steady myself. I got to the van outside for my short drive to the hospital and that’s when the shackles were put on. At the hospital there was only one brief moment when they removed the shackles — when I put on my hospital gown. My ankles were shackled to the bed throughout my hard labor, and I was unable to readjust myself to lessen the pain. It was only when the doctor arrived, just moments before I delivered, that he ordered the shackles to be removed.

At a mere 123 pounds, I gave birth to a 9 pound, 7 ounce baby son, while shackled to my bed for most of the labor. My experience was horrible and continues to haunt me.

Six years ago, I filed a lawsuit against the Arkansas Department of Corrections on the grounds that shackling is unconstitutional. The case has been long and difficult, but a year ago a federal court ruled that shackling women during labor violates their civil rights. I’ll continue to speak out so that no woman, no matter what her life circumstance, has to endure the pain and trauma I have.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has shown a desire to end the inhumane practice of shackling women giving birth, but that’s not the only issue that mothers behind bars face. Women are often denied pre-natal care and the opportunity to bond with their babies after birth and as they grow. Join me and women like me in thanking Attorney General Holder for his attention to shackling, while urging him to continue to address the needs of mothers behind bars and ensure that they have healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and opportunities to enter family-based drug treatments.

Your voice will help prevent another woman from experiencing what I went through.

Sincerely,

Shawanna Lumsey
Women’s Advocate

P.S. Learn more about the inhumane practice of shackling women during childbirth and other important issues affecting pregnant and parenting women behind bars by downloading the new report from the National Women’s Law Center and the Rebecca Project for Human Rights, Mothers Behind Bars.