This archive report was first published on 8 October 2021.
On October 8, 2021, Nyakundi Report spoke with Maria Likuyachi, a 35-year-old deaf mother of two, about the challenges she faced during pregnancy and childbirth in Kenya.
Maria, who was born hearing but became deaf at infancy, had to quit her job due to frequent hospital visits during her pregnancy. She relied on her husband for support, but even he couldn't understand her needs as he is also deaf.
During her delivery, Maria felt neglected by the nurses at the maternity facility in Nairobi, who didn't have a sign language interpreter. She recalls being slapped by the nurses and being unable to understand their instructions.
For her second baby, Maria went to a private hospital in Eastleigh, Nairobi, where they understood her hearing challenges and treated her better. However, she still faced challenges when her baby developed an unknown condition at two years old.
It was only when a neighbour alerted her to the baby's cries that Maria realized something was wrong. The baby later died due to constipation that had accrued over time.
For her third delivery, Maria tagged along a family member to the labour ward to help with communication. However, the experience was still traumatic, with the nurse and doctor slapping her hard when telling her to push.
Maria is not alone in her struggles. Catherine Kinya, a 26-year-old deaf mother of one, also faced similar challenges, including neighbours throwing stones on the roof to notify her when her baby was crying.
