Maternal Health - RED https://www.red.org/impact-area/maternal-health/ Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:05:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 Connie’s Lessons As a Mother https://www.red.org/reditorial/impact/connie-mudenda-lessons-from-mother-to-daughter-arv-medication-prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission/ Tue, 04 May 2021 19:21:42 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=4708 This guest (RED)ITORIAL post was written by (RED) Ambassador Connie Mudenda. Learn more about Connie’s story here. With Mother’s Day right around the corner… I’ve been thinking a lot about my own experience as a mother. After losing three children to HIV as infants, I never thought Mother’s Day would... Read more »

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]]> This guest (RED)ITORIAL post was written by (RED) Ambassador Connie Mudenda. Learn more about Connie’s story here.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner…

I’ve been thinking a lot about my own experience as a mother. After losing three children to HIV as infants, I never thought Mother’s Day would be a day I would celebrate. However, I finally got to experience motherhood after I had my fourth child, Lubona, who proved early on that she had come to stay.

Over the last 8 and a half years, I’ve realized that motherhood is a learning process. I never had the chance to learn from my first three children, but I’m now learning so many important life lessons with my fourth child. I’d like to share some of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a mother.

  1. Take Things One Day at a Time

When I had my fourth child, Lubona, I was so scared to get emotionally attached to her. I had lost three children before, and the kind of pain I experienced is something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. I got through this pain by giving myself plenty of time to heal and learning to take things one day at a time.

  1. Speak Less and Listen More

Being a mother has taught me to listen, even to the unspoken word. I believe most mothers have this ability to speak less, listen more, and look out for our children’s gestures or hesitations in a conversation. Sensing our children’s desperation enables us to intervene and be there for them.

  1. Forge Ahead

No matter how broken or tired I am, I find the strength to continue to push forward for the sake of my daughter. I brought Lubona into this world, so I am her protector. I am the first person she goes to whenever she needs help, so I have to be available at all times. If she is in any sort of trouble, I drop everything to be there to protect or comfort her.I would go to unimaginable heights for her.

  1. Enjoy Every Moment

I am HIV positive and am so grateful that my medication allows me to live each day of my life to the fullest. We never know what tomorrow will bring, so we have to celebrate each and every day. I have learned to cherish every moment with my baby.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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]]> Lots to Celebrate: Connie’s 50th Birthday https://www.red.org/reditorial/impact/connies-50th-birthday-and-16th-arv-anniversary/ Tue, 13 Oct 2020 16:10:50 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=4535 October 13th is a very special day for (RED) Ambassador, Connie Mudenda. Not only is it her 50th birthday, but it’s also the 16th anniversary of the day she was given another gift of life: access to antiretroviral medication (ARVs). Connie’s story encapsulates the entire trajectory of the AIDS fight... Read more »

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]]> October 13th is a very special day for (RED) Ambassador, Connie Mudenda. Not only is it her 50th birthday, but it’s also the 16th anniversary of the day she was given another gift of life: access to antiretroviral medication (ARVs).

Connie’s story encapsulates the entire trajectory of the AIDS fight over the past three decades and serves as a beacon of hope for the future of this virus.

In the 90s, before testing, treatment and even knowledge of HIV was commonplace, Connie unknowingly contracted HIV and passed the virus on to her three children.

Tragically, all three of her children passed away. Despite this unspeakable tragedy, Connie summoned the strength to carry on and committed her life to activism.

Connie’s HIV diagnosis allowed her to enroll in ARV treatment, which has kept her healthy and thriving for 16 years. Thanks to those ARVs, Connie became a mother again when she gave birth to a beautiful, HIV-free daughter named Lubona in November 2012.  

400 babies are born with HIV every day, but Connie and Lubona are living proof that this doesn’t have to be the case. By ensuring women like Connie have access to ARVs and other health services, we can prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies and end AIDS.

While there is a lot to celebrate on Connie’s birthday and ARV anniversary, this week is also a reminder to keep our feet on the gas. As COVID-19 threatens to disrupt so many essential HIV programs, there has never been a more important time to take action. 

When you shop (RED), you join the fight to ensure everyone, everywhere has access to life-saving healthcare services.

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]]> What Is It Like to Live With HIV in Zambia? https://www.red.org/reditorial/hiv-aids/life-in-africa-hiv-aids-connies-story/ Fri, 08 Mar 2019 17:04:09 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5641 Before treatment was available in her home country of Zambia, she lost three children to AIDS. Years later, she found out she was HIV+ and went on life-saving treatment. Today she’s an AIDS activist in her community, and thanks to (RED)-supported programs, she gave birth to her daughter Lubona who’s... Read more »

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Connie is a longtime (RED) ambassador with an incredible story.

Before treatment was available in her home country of Zambia, she lost three children to AIDS. Years later, she found out she was HIV+ and went on life-saving treatment. Today she’s an AIDS activist in her community, and thanks to (RED)-supported programs, she gave birth to her daughter Lubona who’s HIV free. 

We asked our community on Instagram  what questions they had for Connie about what it’s like to live with HIV. 

What is it like to live with HIV?

“You have just reminded me that I have HIV! Sometimes I forget that I am HIV positive, because I find nothing different in my life. I live my life like every other people, the only constant reminder is every evening when my alarm goes off, reminding me that I have to take my medication.”

When did you get diagnosed with HIV?

“Officially, I was tested 15 years ago. But 29 years ago, I brought my daughter in to get tested, and I was tested then as well. But they didn’t tell me I was positive. Before treatment was available and before I knew my status, I lost three of my children to AIDS.”

What medicine do you take and how often? Is it free?

“I am on a combination of three drugs and the tablets are called Atripla, which I take once a day at night. Thanks to support from organizations like (RED) and The Global Fund, the medication is free at my local clinic.”

Are there side effects from the medication?

“Every person reacts differently. Some people don’t have a problem, some have mild side effects, and others may react badly — just like how people react differently to certain foods.”

What does a relationship look like between someone who is HIV+ and HIV free?

“Thanks to educational resources, life-saving HIV medicine and other preventative measures, couples with one partner who is HIV+ and one who is HIV free are able to lead normal, happy, healthy lives. And any HIV+ mother on medication can have a happy, healthy HIV- family. If she adheres to her medication, a woman living with HIV can give birth to an HIV free baby.”

Connie with her daughter, Lubona.

What keeps you going? What inspires you?

“After I lost my first three children to AIDS, I started taking life-saving HIV medicine. What kept me going back then was the fact that I was lucky to be alive, considering the fact that so many people needlessly died simply because there were HIV/AIDS fighting programs did not exist. But today, I’m a proud mother to my daughter Lubona who is HIV free, thanks to my medication. My daughter inspires me to keep taking my medication so that I can stay alive, healthy, and thriving — in order to take care of my baby, and watch her grow up.”

What’s a typical day for you?

“There is nothing extraordinary about being HIV+. I live a normal healthy life, just like any other working woman or mother who is living without HIV.”  

What brings you joy in life?

“My daughter Lubona, who was born HIV free. I also help other people in my community who are living with HIV accept their status, and start going on treatment. I am also grateful for  the wonderful medicine that has keep me alive and healthy for so many years.”

What do you do to fight stigma in Zambia?

“Education is vital to ending stigma and discrimination. As part of my work, I speak with HIV+ people, and sharing my own personal experiences helps educate and inform them on this virus. We must educate people living with HIV to embrace their status in many different ways — such as drama, music, educational posters, radio programs, sharing personal experiences and more.”

Connie’s daughter Lubona, who was born HIV free.

How vital do you think it is for Zambian residents to be educated on HIV/STI awareness?

“Extremely vital, considering the world is at risk of not meeting the target of ending AIDS by 2030. Education leads to less infections and protection against unnecessary disease.”

Do you think targeting a young audience in Zambia with HIV prevention efforts is a good strategy?

“Yes, it is so important since young people, especially young women, are at such higher risks for HIV infection. But we cannot leave behind other age groups, who could potentially be fueling the spread of the virus. At risk communities also include adult men, young women and girls, and especially pregnant women and their unborn babies.”

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]]> How My Daughter Taught Me To Dream https://www.red.org/reditorial/impact/connie-mudenda-impact-story-hiv-arv-medication-prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission/ Thu, 16 Mar 2017 19:27:49 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5449 This is a Guest Blog Post by (RED) Ambassador Constance Mudenda. It’s a milestone like no other: your child’s first day of school. It’s a dream most moms and dads around the world have for their children – that one day, they’ll watch their little ones head off to school.... Read more »

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]]> This is a Guest Blog Post by (RED) Ambassador Constance Mudenda.

It’s a milestone like no other: your child’s first day of school.

It’s a dream most moms and dads around the world have for their children – that one day, they’ll watch their little ones head off to school. But not for me. It’s something I never even dreamed of because my first-born child died one week before her first day of school. I lost all three of my children to AIDS before treatment was available in my home country of Zambia.

That was then, and this is now. Today I’m a proud mom to my daughter Lubona – born HIV free in 2012. She brings so much joy and happiness into my life. Seeing her going to school in her tiny little uniform every morning makes me want to continue sleeping so that I don’t wake up from this beautiful dream…but it’s not a dream. It is real. She is alive, she is healthy and she is HIV free.

Every day she comes home from school and teaches me something new. The other day she came home and said to me, “let’s go outside and play hopscotch!” WHAT? I had no idea what she was talking about, but then she showed me how. 

I am the student; she is my teacher. She’s the most important teacher I’ve ever had in my life.

Every day she brings new lessons into my life. I’m learning more than ever before, even when I was in school. One thing I love about her is that she is a quick learner. She never forgets what the teacher tells her. She has even learned to write her name (although she only goes halfway with her surname because she claims that it is too long. She writes Mwachi instead of Mwanachilenga. No amount of persuasion will make her go beyond that!) She can also write 1 through to 50 without my help. I want her to reach 100 before the term ends, and I know she can.

She is the top student in her class and has not swayed away from her dream: to be a doctor. She’s tired of treating her dolls, she tells me. She wants to treat real people now.

What do I dream for my daughter? That she continues working hard at school so that one day, she will see her dream come true.

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]]> Connie’s Story https://www.red.org/reditorial/impact/connies-story-antiretroviral-medication-hiv/ Tue, 08 Mar 2016 19:45:06 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5462 Meet Connie. Her story shows us an AIDS FREE GENERATION is possible. This is a Guest Blog Post by (RED) Ambassador Constance Mudenda. In March 2004, my husband fell ill and I decided that it was time to go for an HIV test. The results showed I had the virus,... Read more »

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]]> Meet Connie. Her story shows us an AIDS FREE GENERATION is possible.

This is a Guest Blog Post by (RED) Ambassador Constance Mudenda.

In March 2004, my husband fell ill and I decided that it was time to go for an HIV test. The results showed I had the virus, which was devastating news. But that was “then,” and I am so glad to be able to tell the story of “now.” I am not alone in having a story which starts with such sadness, but today it is one of great happiness and health.

I live in Zambia, a country which, over the last two decades, has lost far too many of its people to this deadly virus. And even though we’re still battling the pandemic – roughly 1.2 million people are living with HIV in Zambia today – we are moving in the right direction because so many people today are on treatment and living with HIV, not needlessly dying.

Thanks to the work of incredible organizations like The Global Fund to fights AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), as well as many Zambian health programs, life-saving antiretroviral treatment has been made available to those in need. 

But how are grants like this made possible? In addition to governments financing Global Fund programs, the work of organizations like (RED) is absolutely critical, not only for driving private sector money to the fight, but also for awareness. Through their partnerships with some of the world’s best known companies, such as Apple and Starbucks, (RED) has not only managed to generate more than $350 million for the Global Fund to help fight against AIDS in Africa, but they have focused so much of the world’s attention around ending this terrible disease.

The beginning of the end of AIDS starts with helping mothers like me prevent the transmission of the HIV virus to our unborn babies. I wish I had access to treatment in the 90’s…access, which not only could have prevented me passing on the virus to my three children, but also could have kept them alive today. We didn’t have treatment then, but I do now.

In November of 2012, I gave birth to my youngest child: a beautiful daughter named Lubona after her sister, whom she will never get to meet and who would have been 23 this year, had she lived. Words cannot express the joy I feel when I hold Lubona in my arms today. She is HIV free and I am a healthy mother able to raise my healthy child. To me, this is the definition of a modern day, medical miracle.

Today I have the privilege of seeing other women and children in Zambia, faced with the same life-threatening predicament, participate in programs which really and truly are driving the end of AIDS.

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]]> What Is PMTCT? https://www.red.org/reditorial/hiv-aids/what-is-pmtct-prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission-hiv-aids/ Wed, 02 Mar 2016 21:40:38 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5178 (RED) supports The Global Fund HIV/AIDS grants in eight countries with a goal of virtually eliminating transmission of the virus from moms to their babies. But many of you have rightfully asked, “How does this exactly work?” It’s a miracle of modern medical technology that we’re able to prevent the... Read more »

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]]> (RED) supports The Global Fund HIV/AIDS grants in eight countries with a goal of virtually eliminating transmission of the virus from moms to their babies. But many of you have rightfully asked, “How does this exactly work?” It’s a miracle of modern medical technology that we’re able to prevent the mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). To help you understand, we’ve created a straightforward version of how it works: 

An HIV-positive mother can pass HIV on to her baby any time during pregnancy, labor, delivery and breastfeeding, so the transmission of the virus must be blocked at each stage. Current World Health Organization guidelines recommend that HIV-positive pregnant mothers should go on a triple-drug regimen of antiretroviral medication (ARVs) through pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. Ideally, the mothers themselves will also remain on treatment once breastfeeding has concluded, for their own health.

As soon as the infant is born, the baby should be given nevirapine daily for six weeks. Based on her individual circumstance, the mother should receive counseling and guidance from her healthcare provider on whether the infant should be formula-fed or breastfed. If the mother is to breastfeed, it is recommended that she do so exclusively for six months while continuing to take her ARVs. After six months, the mother can introduce appropriate complementary foods, and continue breastfeeding for the first 12 months of the child’s life. Mothers who adhere to this regimen can reduce the risk of transmission of HIV to their babies to less than 5%.

These prevention guidelines have evolved over the years as scientists have learned more about how to most effectively reduce the risk of transmission while also working to minimize drug resistance for our most effective treatment tools.

For more details on the PMTCT process, including a chart that maps which drugs are used when and in what settings, visit AVERT’S handy guide.

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]]> Meet Motselisi https://www.red.org/reditorial/hiv-aids/meet-motselisi-baby-hiv-free-antiretroviral-medication/ Tue, 01 Mar 2016 19:14:41 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5441 Motselisi is one incredible girl.  (RED) first met Motselisi in the rural Nyakosoba Village in Lesotho when she was 11 months old, frail and weak without access to medication. Motselisi was put on antiretroviral (ARV) medicine, and 90 days later, she had been brought back to life and was a... Read more »

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]]> Motselisi is one incredible girl. 

(RED) first met Motselisi in the rural Nyakosoba Village in Lesotho when she was 11 months old, frail and weak without access to medication. Motselisi was put on antiretroviral (ARV) medicine, and 90 days later, she had been brought back to life and was a healthy, happy baby. Hers is a true story of the life-saving power of ARVs, medication that costs as little as 30 cents a day in some of the poorest parts of the world. 

When Motselisi was tested for HIV, her mother Mapelaelo learned about her own status and began receiving ARV treatment, as well. When Mapelaelo became pregnant a few years later, she thankfully had access to treatment to prevent HIV transmission to her baby. Motselisi’s brother, Moeketsi, was born HIV-free, and is now four years old. In Motselisi’s family we can see how the first AIDS FREE GENERATION in over 30 years is within our reach.  We must continue to take action to increase awareness and funding of AIDS treatment so that we can end AIDS.

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]]> Connie’s Birthday & ARV Anniversary https://www.red.org/reditorial/impact/connie-birthday-arv-anniversary-antiretroviral-medication-life-saving/ Tue, 13 Oct 2015 14:29:12 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5498 (RED) friend Connie checks in to tell us what she’s grateful for today on her birthday and ARV anniversary: Today is a very special day to me. It is the day when the gift of life was given to me. On October 13th, I was born, Constance Ntombizodwa Mudenda, the... Read more »

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]]> (RED) friend Connie checks in to tell us what she’s grateful for today on her birthday and ARV anniversary:

Today is a very special day to me. It is the day when the gift of life was given to me. On October 13th, I was born, Constance Ntombizodwa Mudenda, the sixth of seven girls.

I led a normal childhood, went to school, played with my friends (I was a tomboy!), and helped my parents at home. In my late teenage years I met a handsome man who to me was heaven sent. I was in love! At the age of 19, and to the disappointment of my parents, I eloped with my knight in shining armor. We lived happily in our little love nest and I fell pregnant. We were very excited!

Unfortunately, the joy was short-lived. My first child was born and sickly from birth. I had a second child – he was fine – but eight months later, he fell sick and died days after his first birthday. I had my third child, who died two months after birth. My first child died a few months later.

At the time, we didn’t know why tragedy was always on our doorstep. It was not an easy path for me. Throughout my married life I was grieving. Eight years after the death of my first child, who was the last to die, I decided to go for an HIV test – I was positive.

On this day –October 13th –11 years ago, I was given ANOTHER gift of life – I started taking ARVs (antiretroviral medication). My CD4 count had decreased such that I need treatment and thankfully I started taking medication before I fell sick.

These ARVs have kept me alive for 11 years. I can’t even imagine how many tablets I have swallowed in this period. And I am so grateful for every life-giving pill that’s crossed my lips. I tried to count when I hit one year on medication and it added up to more than 1,400 tablets! I’m no longer married, but I have been faithful to my true love, our relationship is till death do we part – my ARVs, my life.

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]]> The Power Of ARVs https://www.red.org/reditorial/hiv-aids/the-power-of-arvs-antiretroviral-medication-hiv-aids/ Sun, 01 Mar 2015 14:48:58 +0000 https://www.red.org/?p=5514 Antiretroviral medication (ARVs) works to keep HIV from growing and multiplying within the human body. With access to ARVs, people living with HIV can not only lead healthy and productive lives, but they can pass on healthy lives to their unborn children. Thanks to the support of government, private, and... Read more »

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]]> Antiretroviral medication (ARVs) works to keep HIV from growing and multiplying within the human body.

With access to ARVs, people living with HIV can not only lead healthy and productive lives, but they can pass on healthy lives to their unborn children. Thanks to the support of government, private, and public sectors, this life-saving medication now costs as little as 30 cents a day. Without ARVs, an HIV-positive mother can have up to a 45% chance of transmitting the virus to her unborn child, but when that same mother receives properly administered treatment during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding, the rate of transmission can be reduced to less than 5%. While there have been significant reductions in the spread and transmission of HIV, there are still over 600 babies being born every day with a preventable virus.

We must act now to get that number close to zero.

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