When have women learned about preeclampsia in your region?
(Women have reported never hearing "preeclampsia" until the moment they were diagnosed)
Ashley Muteti: Hi, my name is Ashley Mutheti from Zuri Nzilani Foundation here in Kenya.
Preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders in pregnancy is a fairly new subject here in my country, Kenya. Not much education has been created about the condition and that's why here at Zuri Nzilani Foundation, we are very keen to create awareness about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. This is because most of the women learn about it when it's already too late. Whether it's a week, they have been told, they have been diagnosed with it and been told about preeclampsia a week to an elective C-section. So most women do not know about it. They've lived with it, but now they know about it once it's already at a critical stage.
Do mothers in your region experience mental and emotional problems after preeclampsia? What is done for them or what do
Ashley Muteti: Women who have gone through preeclampsia experience a lot of mental health challenges. And this is because the society has sidelined this particular type of women.
What is the most pressing patient need in your country related to preeclampsia?
Ashley Muteti: One of the most pressing needs that women face here in my country is quality of care. Because it is expensive. It is expensive managing hypertension in pregnancy. The drugs are very costly. So women, especially in the rural area and even here in the city, they are gambling between buying food or buying medication. You know, so medication for hypertension is expensive and sustaining that, especially as a fast lane drug or a drug that will be effective to the woman is quite costly.
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