“Schools of Motherhood” Promote Healthy Pregnancy, Infancy
On April 7 – the Day of Beauty and Motherhood in Armenia – USAID and Project NOVA representatives joined the staff of the Vedi Maternity House to mark the opening of their new School of Motherhood, one of four similar schools launched that week in Armenia through USAID assistance.
The Schools of Motherhood provide counseling to women, physical and psychological instruction on childbirth, information on the delivery process, and a wealth of information on the importance of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
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| New mothers and the 938 pregnant women currently served by the Vedi Maternity House will become the first visitors to the new School of Motherhood and receive in-depth counseling in a comfortable environment |
To help the facility staff manage the Schools, USAID’s Project NOVA conducted a refresher course for ten OB/GYNs and midwives in birth preparedness classes. “Our staff is eager to employ the skills they learned through USAID’s training and looks forward to welcoming our women in the nicely refurbished consultation room,” said Vachik Matevosyan, the head of Vedi Maternity House.
The new School of Motherhood will be an important supplement to Vedi’s medical facility, which serves over 15,250 women of reproductive age from local and neighboring communities and recorded 831 childbirths in 2007. Classes offered by the School will help pregnant women acquire practical knowledge and skills on such topics as woman’s lifestyle, overcoming delivery-related fears and breastfeeding. Future fathers will also be encouraged to participate in the classes in order to better understand pregnancy and delivery related issues and be supportive of their partners.
In addition to Vedi, USAID-supported Schools of Motherhood will also welcome clients at Sisian Medical Center, Talin Medical Center and Vayk Medical Union.
USAID’s Project NOVA is a five-year program designed to improve reproductive, maternal and child health services in rural areas of Armenia. With 66 health posts renovated and over 1000 physicians and nurses trained in the northern regions of Armenia, the program currently covers about 170 healthcare facilities in five southern marzes of Armenia and serves over 250,000 people in rural communities.
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