Forty-three year old Regina Finley was overjoyed when she first held her son. In all the pain and struggle to give birth, she didn’t think her baby would survive. All she had was hope.
Her pregnancy is categorized as elderly primigravida, a term used to describe a woman who goes into pregnancy for the first time at the age of 35 years or older. Such pregnancy is regarded as high risk.
Finley’s labour commenced Friday 16th June 2023 at her home in Kopi village, Kabwum District, Morobe. With the slow progress of labor contractions, she was taken to the nearest Health facility which was Indagen Health Center on Sunday (June 18th). She was assessed by health workers and noted to have pre-eclampsia.
“The weather in Kabwum was very bad,” Sr Naomi Pamaraka recalled the medevac of 19th June. “Jan (the pilot) mentioned it was too cloudy. But he didn’t gave up. He searched his way through until we saw Indagen Health Centre and landed.”
“We were only notified around 3:30pm on Monday (June 19th),” Sr Pamaraka said.
“The risk of losing both mother and baby was very high. If we had delayed the medevac to next day, the baby would have died by the time we arrive,” she said.
The mother was airlifted safely into Lae that afternoon, and upon arrival at ANGAU Hospital, was scheduled for Caesarean section because of pre-eclamptic (PET) and severe fetal distress. Being a strong village woman, Finley recovered well and was admitted to the postnatal ward.
Sr Pamaraka said the male newborn weighed 3kg, and since he was born flat (breathing is a bit slow, having a descent heart rate and needs stimulating or resuscitating), he was taken to the Special Care Nursery and was assisted to breathe.
“Our baby was very sick. The staff at the Special Care Nursery did their best upon receiving the baby from the operating theater, and had close watch till he could spontaneously breathe for himself.”
Finley was all tears of joy when she left the operating theatre and learned that her son was alive and well at the nursery. She thanked the hospital staff and the medevac team for saving both their lives.
Both mother and baby were discharged from ANGAU Hospital on Tuesday 27th June.
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