‘He Is a Child of War’: Giving Birth Amid Chaos in Ukraine

Before the war, Alina Shynkar’s gynecologist advised her to avoid stress during her pregnancy. It was simple advice, but not so easy to follow after air-raid sirens wailed, artillery booms rattled windows and street fighting broke out a few miles away from her maternity hospital.

Then, keeping calm for her baby became her quiet, personal battle. She checked into Maternity Hospital No. 5 in Kyiv before the war began for bed rest because of a risk of preterm labor, only to witness the hospital unravel into a chaotic, panicked state weeks later.

The assault on Ukraine has been a nightmare for expectant mothers, particularly in cities that have been under almost constant bombardment.

Even those pregnant women fortunate enough to escape the war torn areas are deeply stressed, whether racing in and out of shelters or enduring perilous journeys to the relative safety of western Ukraine or to neighboring European countries. Read more

@nytimes