Ala’a and her husband had been trying to become pregnant for eight years. They’d tried a variety of fertility treatments before turning to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)—an often expensive and emotionally taxing method. Their first few cycles failed, and they considered giving up before 30-year-old Ala’a finally became pregnant. The couple were delighted.
But they lived in Gaza. And it was early October 2023.
Just a few days after the couple celebrated their positive pregnancy test, tensions between Israel and Hamas escalated into a new wave of violent conflict—one that would destroy the homes and livelihoods of most of Gaza’s population and leave its healthcare system barely functional.
When Ala’a managed to get an ultrasound—a challenging feat because she and her husband were repeatedly displaced by attacks and the country’s healthcare system had been brought to the brink of collapse—she received some incredible but terrifying news: she was expecting triplets.
“Conflict doesn’t stop babies being born; it just makes it extremely challenging for mothers and infants to receive the healthcare they need,” says Lauren Bellhouse, Sexual and Reproductive Health Advisor at International Medical Corps.
“In Gaza, where health facilities have been destroyed or overwhelmed and supplies of medicines are so limited, women are being forced to give birth in tents and temporary shelters without skilled assistance. The risks to their health—and to their babies’ lives—are immense.
“Plus, we know that mothers experiencing high levels of stress—such as that caused by living through a violent conflict—have a higher risk of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight and other complications. This means that providing comprehensive maternity and paediatric care is more important than ever in crises like in Gaza,” says Lauren.
Over the following nine months, Ala’a and her husband were forced to flee the violence seven times, settling in camps for displaced people where they lived in tents and improvised shelters. Ala’a’s mental health deteriorated as her pregnancy progressed. She knew that maternal stress and carrying triplets are both linked to a higher risk of complications, and she was terrified for the well-being of the babies she’d dreamed of for so long.
Fortunately, the team at International Medical Corps’ main field hospital in Gaza, at Deir al Balah, was there to help. International Medical Corps operates two field hospitals in Gaza, providing essential healthcare and protection services to more than 1,000 people daily. In August 2024 alone, health workers and volunteers delivered and cared for 410 babies at the field hospitals, 90 of whom were delivered by C-section.
Long before Ala’a’s due date, she consulted with our sexual and reproductive health specialists about how to reduce the risks to her health and that of her unborn children. And because our mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) team realised that Ala’a’s needs went beyond the physical, they worked with her to reduce her stress and overcome her anxieties about the birth—teaching her breathing exercises and grounding techniques to help calm her mind and body.
The obstetrics and gynaecology team had Ala’a’s C-section all planned out. But on the day of the procedure, a new problem arose. The team successfully delivered the three babies, but the triplets were struggling to get enough oxygen and needed immediate care. The team swiftly stabilised the babies’ conditions in the neonatal intensive-care unit and closely monitored their recovery. After 10 days, the doctors declared that the babies were healthy enough to be discharged.
Meanwhile, the team attended to Ala’a, providing postnatal care, nutritional support, medical follow-ups and psychological care to ensure that the family’s physical and emotional needs were all met. The MHPSS and nutrition teams helped support Ala’a through the difficulties she experienced during breastfeeding, and gave her high-energy biscuits and vitamin A supplements to support healthy milk production.
“What International Medical Corps provided was a miracle,” says Ala’a. “You saved my life and the lives of my children and provided me with all kinds of health and psychological support. With love, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“The birth of three healthy babies was a miracle in itself—a testament to the team’s dedication and expertise,” agrees Dr. Shaban Shurab, head of the field hospital’s gynaecology and obstetrics department. The hospital workers threw a party to celebrate the triplets’ recovery despite the immense obstacles that their family had faced, and Ala’a thanked them all.
Today, the challenges aren’t over for Ala’a and her family. Amid the perils of continued airstrikes and the looming threats of famine and disease, the triplets’ childhoods will be filled with danger. However, the dedicated staff and volunteers at the field hospitals will continue striving to give them—and all the babies they help bring into the world—the best possible start in life.
To help us continue caring for mothers and babies in Gaza—and other crisis-affected people around the world—donate to International Medical Corps today.
