Yvonne M., 19

She is a 19-year-old young woman who has experienced considerable hardship from an early age. The firstborn of two children, she lost both parents while still young and was raised with her sibling by their grandmother. When their grandmother later passed away, they were left without a caregiver or reliable financial support. Unable to afford school fees, she dropped out in Form One. She later married and became pregnant. Despite these challenges, she remains cheerful, resilient and hopeful. She currently lives with her husband in a single-room house without electricity, and they obtain water from a nearby stream. Her pregnancy progressed well until labour, when assessment revealed that the baby was in a breech position and there was cephalopelvic disproportion, making vaginal delivery unsafe. An emergency Caesarean section was therefore performed to protect both mother and baby. The surgery was successful; however, the newborn developed serious complications after delivery and required admission to the Newborn Unit for specialized treatment and close monitoring.

Yvonne had a high-risk pregnancy complicated by breech presentation and cephalopelvic disproportion, making vaginal delivery unsafe. The decision to perform an emergency Caesarean section was appropriate and lifesaving for the mother. Although the baby unfortunately developed severe complications after birth and passed away despite specialized neonatal care, the mother is recovering well from surgery. Physically, her prognosis is good with appropriate postoperative care and follow-up. However, the loss of her baby places her at significant risk of grief, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. She would benefit from ongoing psychotherapy, bereavement counseling, family support, and psychological follow-up to help her process the loss and support her emotional recovery.