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Meeting the needs of pregnant women and babies in a disaster: The role of voluntary nongovernmental health organizations

Amy A. Peterson, BS, MA, Scott D. Berns, MD, MPH, Judith S. Gooding, BA, Capi A. Landreneau, MSW, Jennifer L. Howse, PhD

Abstract


Pregnant women, lactating women, and babies, especially sick and extremely fragile premature babies, have special needs during a disaster and in its aftermath. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that strive to improve the health of babies can help meet the needs of pregnant women and babies in a disaster. These NGOs, like the March of Dimes, are not disaster relief organizations; therefore, their primary aim in disaster preparedness, as well as during a disaster and in its aftermath, is to work with disaster planning groups to ensure, through advocacy and education, that the immediate and ongoing needs of pregnant women and babies are met. If necessary in an extreme disaster, NGOs can also provide some direct services to help meet the needs of pregnant women and infants, as the March of Dimes did after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Keywords


nongovernmental organization, infants, mothers, pregnant women, healthcare, disaster, relief, aid

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2007.0043

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