Give Birth Quietly…Okay?

As if childbirth were not difficult enough, women in Zimbabwe had to try to do it in silence. Yes, according to a report by Transparency International, a hospital in southern Zimbabwe was charging women the equivalent of $5 as a ‘screaming fee’ every time they screamed for “raising false alarm.” The costs add up in a country where the average annual income is about $150 per person – and women who couldn’t afford to pay were allegedly detained and charged until they could settle up. The good news is Transparency International’s report triggered an investigation and since then they’ve heard no further complaints from women in the area.

• child birth
• Transparency International
• Zimbabwe