‘The dream I carried is gone’: Miscarriages rise amid trauma of Gaza’s war
Medical officials in Gaza report a significant surge in miscarriages linked to Israel's war and blockade, with approximately 70 percent of pregnancy losses at al-Awda Hospital attributed to conflict-related factors. Women describe losing pregnancies due to air strikes, displacement, malnutrition, and collapsed healthcare infrastructure.
Gaza's healthcare system is experiencing a documented crisis in maternal health, with medical professionals reporting unprecedented rates of pregnancy loss directly connected to the ongoing conflict. Dr Yasser Saadeddine, maternity director at al-Awda Hospital in Deir el-Balah, indicated that roughly 70 percent of the pregnancy losses his team treats are linked to the war and blockade. The surge reflects the cumulative impact of bombardments, displacement, malnutrition, and psychological trauma on pregnant women throughout the territory.
Women across Gaza describe repeated miscarriages and pregnancy complications stemming from conflict-related circumstances. Nuha Abu Lebda lost three pregnancies after being forcibly displaced multiple times since October 2023, attributing the losses to air strikes, hunger, fear, and inadequate medical care. Despite purchasing heparin injections at significant personal cost by selling her possessions, she was unable to carry any pregnancy to term. Her account reflects a broader pattern in which women have exhausted personal resources attempting to prevent miscarriages while living under bombardment and displacement.
Other women have experienced fatal complications due to healthcare system collapse. Mai Zaqout lost her daughter during childbirth after being unable to access necessary medical resources, an event that occurred shortly after her husband's death. Sara al-Awad experienced severe bleeding and placental separation during her eighth month of pregnancy following powerful explosions in Gaza City, with the psychological impact of the bombardment triggering the medical emergency.
Medical officials attribute the miscarriage surge to multiple interconnected factors: the direct trauma of bombardments and explosions, the psychological strain of living under sustained military operations, malnutrition resulting from the blockade, and the collapse of Gaza's healthcare infrastructure. The combination of these factors has transformed pregnancy from a hopeful experience into a survival challenge for women in the territory.
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