Ebola fears keep pregnant women away from healthcare in eastern DRC

Fear of Ebola is keeping pregnant women away from healthcare facilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, raising the risk of stillbirths, premature births and maternal deaths as the country's deadliest Ebola outbreak continues to disrupt routine medical care.

In Bunia, capital of Ituri province, health workers say fear of Ebola is discouraging expectant mothers from attending prenatal appointments, making it harder to detect potentially dangerous complications early.

At Elikya Hospital, midwife Leonie Banana says missed appointments can have serious consequences, with some women arriving only after complications have developed.

"When women miss appointments, it becomes difficult to know in time if the fetus has a problem," she said. "But when women stay home for fear of infection, we see more complications, including stillbirths and premature births."

Anxiety persists among new mothers

For women who do seek care, the proximity of Ebola treatment centres can itself be a source of distress.

Janviette Ishara, who gave birth during the outbreak, said she was frightened by being treated near an Ebola facility and by memories of people dying from the disease.

Her experience reflects the challenge facing health workers as they try to reassure patients that essential services can continue safely despite the outbreak.

Healthcare facilities disrupted

Several healthcare facilities in the region were temporarily closed as authorities tried to prevent transmission.

Elikya Hospital itself shut for 21 days, while staff were quarantined and the facility was disinfected before reopening.

Medical director Yazid Yacim said the hospital is now safe and urged women not to delay treatment.

"It is better to come here for treatment than to manage complications at home," he said.

Maternal deaths rising

The disruption is already being reflected in maternal health indicators. According to the United Nations Population Fund, maternal deaths increased from an average of 3.1 to 5.8 per week between May 25 and July 19.

National data also showed that deaths occurring outside healthcare facilities nearly doubled, a trend health experts associate with delayed treatment and unmanaged complications.

Rebuilding trust

Health workers are strengthening infection-prevention measures while trying to restore confidence in medical facilities.

The challenge is to ensure that pregnant women, children and other vulnerable patients continue receiving essential care without exposing themselves or others to Ebola.

The current outbreak has recorded thousands of confirmed cases and more than 2,000 deaths, making the indirect impact on routine healthcare an increasingly serious concern alongside the fight to contain the virus itself.