In the Kharkiv Regional Perinatal Center, new life is beginning. Alyona, a patient at the medical facility, is preparing to welcome her newborn.
"Despite everything, we are in Kharkiv, in the maternity hospital. Eleven years ago, I gave birth to my daughter here, and now, against all odds, I have returned to this maternity ward for my son. I came back to the same doctor and the same hospital. Life goes on. Being a mother is an important mission for me," says Alyona.
Pregnant women, especially those living closer to frontline zones, continue to suffer the consequences on their journey to motherhood.
For instance, in Kharkiv, they’ve endured relentless shelling and rocket attacks since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
Stress related to the conflict is believed to be contributing to a higher rate of premature births in some of these frontline areas. The highest is in Kherson, where around 1 in 10 babies were born prematurely, almost double the national average.
The Kherson region also has the highest stillbirth rate in Ukraine.
To help reduce this stress and improve the health of pregnant women and their newborns, UNFPA is supporting the construction of two specialist underground, bomb-proof maternal and newborn health units; one in Kherson and one in Kharkiv.
These bomb-proof maternity wards will ensure that women can give birth in safer conditions despite ongoing attacks.
Photo credit: Ukraine_2025_Olha Lavryk
