The couple had gone to maternity hospital number 5 in the port city of Odessa, in southern Ukraine. The center is known for its comprehensive maternity care and has gained some local fame as the birthplace of quintuplets.
But just after Chebotar gave birth to her baby, an air raid alarm sounded over the city, which remains a regular target of Russian missile and drone attacks. Using a mobile incubator, the medical team quickly moved the newborn baby and her terrified parents to the hospital's underground bomb shelter along with other patients.
The transportable incubators come with artificial lung ventilation and were provided by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, to help close gaps in supplies and services faced by hospitals across Ukraine caused by the ongoing conflict. .
Increase in childbirth complications.
The No. 5 Maternity Hospital has faced unprecedented difficulties amid the ongoing war and made rapid and unforeseen changes to support pregnant women and new mothers as they face the challenges of giving birth in a war zone.
UNFPA supports frontline maternity care in Ukraine, including mobile incubators.
The war has caused a 12 percent increase in birth complications in this maternity hospital alone, a statistic that highlights the serious impact of stress and disruption on pregnant women, in the context of increased bombings in course.
“Pregnant women come here not only from Odessa, but also from all over the south, near the front line,” said Dr. Igor Shpak, a leading obstetrician at the hospital. “The stress and disruption caused by the conflict has led to increased rates of cesarean sections and premature births.”
New underground bunkers
Another person who took refuge in the hospital bunker was Radionova Alevtyna Viktorivna. The expectant mother was waiting for a medical examination when the air raid sirens sounded.
The construction of new underground bunkers has become a key initiative to support and protect pregnant women. Radionova said there is a growing need for safe, well-equipped spaces where women can continue their pregnancies safely despite current threats.
Maternity Hospital No. 5 recently built and reinforced its air raid shelter. These bunkers are designed to provide security while also being equipped with the necessary medical facilities to ensure that healthcare services can continue uninterrupted during attacks.
The maternity ward of a kyiv hospital has been moved to the basement and is under crossfire. (archive)
Deepening of the health crisis
The situation in Odessa's maternity hospitals reflects a broader crisis affecting Ukraine's healthcare system. There is an urgent need for continued support and comprehensive attention to improve maternal care conditions in conflict zones.
In the first six months of the year, the World Health Organization (WHO) verified 160 attacks on healthcare facilities across Ukraine. This destruction has left a significant gap in maternal and neonatal care, with 23 percent of facilities unable to provide these essential services.
Energy infrastructure in Odessa and across Ukraine continues to come under repeated attack, causing significant disruption and increased costs for basic services.
With power lines and generating capacities damaged, the price of electricity and heating has risen sharply, placing an additional financial burden on families already struggling amid the conflict.
These attacks not only affect daily living conditions, but also prevent hospitals from providing constant care, as power outages disrupt critical medical equipment and services.
A mother holds her newborn baby in a hospital in kyiv, Ukraine. (archive)
The human cost
The constant bombings have had serious consequences for the mental health of its residents, including pregnant women. Reports indicate an increase in premature births and higher rates of C-sections across the country, which is directly related to the increased levels of stress experienced by pregnant women.
The psychological strain exacerbates the already difficult conditions in which these women carry and give birth to their babies. Breastfeeding rates during the first six months have also declined due to financial constraints and inadequate facilities, which has increased newborn morbidity and created a need for breast milk in hospitals.
With the war ongoing and the need to rebuild, government efforts are stretched and essential health and social service systems are weakening.
The United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is working to fill critical gaps, particularly in sexual and reproductive health and rights (areas that are crucial for the well-being of women and newborns), by providing medical supplies, equipment and support services. Support is vital so that women in Odessa receive the care they need to safely navigate pregnancy and childbirth.
Newborns are cared for in the Children's Intensive Care Unit of the Regional Perinatal Center in kyiv, Ukraine. (archive)
Support to the Maternal Hospital No. 5
Since 2022, UNFPA has provided more than $68,000 in assistance, including for mobile incubators and medicines.
Obstetrician Dr. Shpak highlighted the fundamental role of foreign aid.
“Without this support, we would not have the essential supplies we need, such as mobile incubators to transport premature babies during emergencies,” she said.
“We need the world to see what is happening here,” Dr. Shpak stressed. “Our mothers and babies deserve better and we will continue to provide these essential services.”
Find out more about how UNFPA is helping in Ukraine here.
