Ibb governorate, Yemen – Sara*, 40 years, pregnant with her six child, faced an unimaginable challenge—one that threatened both her life and her unborn child.

Sara had spent years navigating the struggles of conflict driven poverty, with her husband making just enough to feed her family by collecting and selling empty bottles.

Throughout her pregnancy, Sara did not have a single medical checkup. The cost of medical care was a luxury she could not afford.

When Sara went into labour she had no choice but to give birth at home. Surrounded by elderly women acting as midwives, she fought through agonizing pain. The birth was not progressing, and as the hours passed, her condition worsened. The untrained hands of the elders could do nothing—Sara’s life, and that of her baby, hung in the balance.

Realizing the grave danger, her family rushed to find transportation, scraping together what little money they had to rent a car. With every bump on the rugged road, Sara’s pain intensified. By the time she arrived at Mudhaykhirah Hospital, she was in a critical condition, exhausted and barely conscious.

The medical team acted swiftly. Midwives checked her vitals, started an IV drip, and administered emergency obstetric care. With expert intervention, Sara finally gave birth safely, and her baby—a fragile but miraculously strong newborn—survived.

In that moment, relief washed over her. Her baby was alive. She was alive.

As she cradled her newborn, a nurse handed her a baby care kit—a simple yet life-changing gift containing everything her baby needed.

Tears filled her eyes—not from pain this time, but from gratitude and hope.

“I didn’t know this kind of help existed,” she said, her voice trembling. “So many mothers like me suffer in silence, choosing to give birth at home because they don’t know there’s a way to get help. I pray that this support continues—for the sake of every mother fighting to bring her child into this world safely.”

The Mudhaykhirah Hospital is supported by UNFPA with the financial assistance from the Government of Japan, offering maternal health services free of charge to ensure safe pregnancies and births.

Sara’s story is not just hers alone—it’s the story of thousands of women facing preventable risks due to lack of access, awareness, and resources.  

Reproductive health services are severely limited in Yemen. Six out of 10 births take place without a skilled birth attendant four out of 10 women do not receive antenatal care from a skilled provider. As a result, Yemen has one of the highest maternal mortality rates regionally at 183 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. With continued support and awareness, more women can receive the care they deserve and more lives of women can be saved during childbirth.

*Name change for privacy and protection.