Monique R., 1

Monique is the only child of a teenage mother. She lives with her mother, aunt, and two uncles in a small two-roomed mud house. Her mother, who is both a teenager and an orphan, is being supported by her elder brother , Monique’s uncle, who works as a casual laborer at construction sites to provide for the family. Monique's mother discovered she was pregnant after missing her period and using a test kit that confirmed her fears. When she informed the child’s father, who was also a student, he initially denied responsibility but eventually accepted it. Despite being pregnant, Monique’s mother continued attending school without telling anyone and did not go for any antenatal care. At five months pregnant, Monique's grandfather became seriously ill and was hospitalized. He was later discharged, but the following day, after returning from school, Monique's mother found him unresponsive — he had passed away. Amid the shock and grief, Monique’s mother began experiencing lower back pain. Relatives who had gathered following the death took her to a nearby health facility, where she delivered Monique. Since Monique was born prematurely, she was referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital for further care.

Monique Reson was born before the usual 37 weeks of gestation, and as a result, she was also of low birth weight. This warranted admission to the NBU (newborn unit), where she was placed in an incubator and fed and monitored. She stayed in the NBU for over three months , received medications like dextrose , benzylpenicillin, gentamicin, caffeine citrate upon which she gained weight, from 960 grams to 1615 grams, a significant improvement. Having gained weight and being able to breastfeed, she was discharged home. A visit by the volunteer to her home revealed that she was growing well as expected; she was feeding as expected too.

A baby born at 20 weeks has a good chance of survival (85–90%) with modern care and a moderate risk of long-term complications—many of which can be mitigated with early and consistent intervention. If the baby is not urgently addressed they risk suffering ; Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): Very common; typically managed with surfactant and ventilatory support. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH): Risk of bleeding in the brain, especially before 28 weeks. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC): A serious intestinal problem; monitored carefully. Infections (sepsis): Immature immune system increases susceptibility. Apnea and bradycardia: Pauses in breathing and slow heart rate, common in preterms.