Sharon R., 19

Sharon Rotich is a 19-year-old young mother of a two-year-old daughter and currently expectant with her second child. Sharon is the second-born in a family of three children who were orphaned at a young age. After the death of their parents, they were taken in by their elderly grandparents, who also passed away a few years later. Due to lack of school fees and adequate support, Sharon was forced to drop out of school after completing Class Eight. Life circumstances pushed her into early marriage to a young man around her age. Her husband is also an orphan and unemployed, relying on occasional casual jobs within the village to provide for the family. They have no stable source of income, and Sharon remains a housewife, fully dependent on her spouse’s irregular earnings. Sharon had been well until approximately 12 hours before admission, when she began experiencing lower abdominal discomfort and painful contractions radiating to her back. The pain progressively increased in frequency, intensity, and duration. She became increasingly restless and anxious, experienced nausea, profuse sweating, and found it difficult to speak during contractions. Her sister-in-law, who had been working on the farm, found her in distress and urgently sought the help of a motorcycle rider to transport her to Awasi for medical attention. The family had previously learned about Helpster Charity during a mobile outreach program conducted at Kipsitet Market, where they were informed that vulnerable mothers in need of emergency care could receive support. Upon evaluation at the facility, Sharon was diagnosed with prolonged labour in postdatism (post-term pregnancy), a condition requiring urgent obstetric management to prevent maternal and fetal complications. The emergency caesarean section was medically indicated and lifesaving.

The primi gravida mother was admitted on 10th February 2026 in latent phase of labour. On 12th at 1pm, she got into active phase of labour but by 5pm, there was no progress of labour and this prompted the medical team to make a decision to perform a Caesarean section due to prolonged labour and post datism. She was counselled, consent obtained, and pre-operative preparations completed. The surgery was successfully conducted, resulting in the delivery of a healthy baby. Post-operatively, the mother was stable and received routine care, including analgesics, antibiotics, and monitoring. Early ambulation and breastfeeding were initiated. The wound healed well, and no complications were noted. She was discharged in good condition with appropriate health education and follow-up instructions.

Sharon presented with prolonged labour in the setting of postdatism. In post-term pregnancies, the fetal skull bones become firmer as the sutures narrow and begin gradual fusion. This reduces the flexibility of the fetal head, limiting its ability to mould and adapt to the maternal pelvis during labour. Consequently, the baby’s head may fail to descend appropriately, increasing the risk of obstructed labour. Her prolonged labour placed her at risk of severe maternal exhaustion, dehydration, infection, uterine rupture, and fetal distress. Following a timely caesarean section and appropriate postoperative care, Sharon’s prognosis is good. With adequate monitoring for infection, proper wound care, pain management, and nutritional support, she is expected to recover well physically.