Rostov Women Share Stories of City Maternity Hospitals

In a maternity hospital in Novokuznetsk, Russia, during the January holidays, nine infants died and eight more were in critical condition due to an intrauterine infection. This is the official cause. However, the obstetrics department had many problems, according to residents — unsanitary conditions and indifference toward patients.

The head of the Novokuznetsk hospital and the acting head of the intensive care unit, where the newborns mysteriously died, are charged with articles on negligence and involuntary manslaughter.

The editorial office of 161.RU asked its readers whether they had encountered problems in maternity hospitals in the Don region. Rostov women shared where it was comfortable to give birth and where it was anxiety-inducing and dangerous. We publish their comments.

«My memories of the maternity hospital are like a nightmare. Labor starts, I go to look for someone from the doctors on the second floor, I find them, and they tell me: »You couldn«t have waited a bit longer? You came and woke us up. Well, okay, let»s go with her to the third floor,« and there the doctors — »You woke us up.« In short, it was a disaster. I ended up being the guilty one for not letting everyone sleep (Maternity Hospital No. 5).»

Another woman who gave birth there had similar impressions:

«Yes, I also gave birth there. A long time ago, though. It was a Saturday, the medical staff was drunk, my doctor, with whom I had arranged for a paid delivery, hadn»t arrived yet. So those who were there injected me, as they said, with vitamins, and the contractions stopped. We barely survived, they pushed my daughter out, she was born blue, didn«t make a sound — they took her away. And a woman in the corridor found me, later said I wasn»t breathing.

I made a scene there, promised to call the police. I came to my senses on the third day, my daughter took a long time to recover. The doctor simply returned the money for the delivery, though they all should be jailed. But at the time I could barely think straight. This was my first and last child, I endured so much horror there that I didn«t even think about having other children.»

«We didn»t dare go to a state maternity hospital with my wife — based on reviews, there is widespread indifference, humiliation, and dangers to the health of mother and baby. But even in the only private one, not everything went smoothly — they overlooked one aspect of the mother«s health, after which it was difficult to recover. And in winter, there was a cold draft from the windows in their individual, beautiful room.»

«The Perinatal Center — everything is perfect. Delicious food, clean, quiet. Everyone»s attitude is very good, absolutely.«

«The Perinatal Center. Perfect. The food isn»t tasty.«

«I had everything good, gave birth to two children at the Central City Hospital. It was a long time ago, but the memories are good.»

«I gave birth to both children at Maternity Hospital No. 20 of the Rostov City Hospital. Yes, the maternity hospital is old, yes, it»s inconvenient, but I went there only because of the doctors, knowing that in an emergency situation, every effort would be made for a favorable outcome. The first time I ended up there urgently during COVID — they saved both me and the child. The second time I went there consciously, and I will definitely go there a third time! The doctors there are all professionals!«

«My wife gave birth at the Children»s Perinatal Center. Beyond all praise.«

«NIIAP, 2020. The head nurse in the delivery room gave me a scolding because my passport was allegedly not fresh, »from which she washed her hands 10 times,« I burst into tears (nerves, injustice, about to be taken for a cesarean section), my doctor came and also yelled at me for crying because my nose would get stuffy and the operation would be canceled altogether. Then, after giving birth, they immediately (!) brought me the baby, muttered something about free swaddling (nobody showed or explained anything) and left me alone with the child three hours after »having my abdomen cut open.« Also, I couldn»t start breastfeeding on my own, they said there was no lactation specialist, so here«s some formula for you, and you owe 5 liters of clean water. My husband brought it, but there was no one to take it to the department, I dragged it along the wall myself. They also gave me a torn nightgown, and ants were running around the box with the baby.»