Pregnancy Trauma

Pregnancy is a very critical time in each and every woman’s life and responsibility towards the inborn child is a priority. Although maternal instinct is natural, it is important also to educate oneself in parent craft. I am doing such a thing in Gozo and this week I had my first lesson. When I received the time table I was very excited but this soon abated when I saw the venue where lessons were to be held. The venue was a hall at ‘Ta’ l-Ibragg’. For all those who are not cognisant of the place, it is the Gozo Mental Hospital .

I thought it very incongruent to take pregnant women in a mental hospital for lessons. Anyway I tried not to think much about it till the day came for my first lesson. As soon as I approached the main door, patients started to approach me to ask for cigarettes, money and all sort of things. Well to be honest I was the intruder because they were within the precincts of their space. To reach this blessed room I had to go round a whole floor and then down a flight of stairs. Mind you there is a lift but the lift is also utilised by patients. I am not easily affected by surroundings but I really felt uncomfortable with the thought that I might be sharing a lift with a mental patient.

I found the room and joined my classmates. This room was not quite charming and several ladies were grimacing at the sight of the contents of this room besides being stuffy. I did not like it from the beginning. Apparently, the ladies present shared my feelings and after the excellently delivered lesson by our midwife, we conferred about the unsuitability of the place and how much it distressed most of the ladies present.

Certainly there is a more adequate place for such lessons. In the maternity ward itself there is a television room which is excellent for the purpose and therefore this issue may be easily addressed with a very little effort and goodwill. With all respect for mental patients, Ta’ l-Ibragg is no place for pregnant women and Government must shoulder its responsibility by intervening immediately to rectify this absurdity.