Mrs. Khuon Sinan, aged 27, resides in Trapeang Khnar village, located in the Svay Leu commune of Svay Leu district, Siem Reap province. She has endured the sorrow of losing three pregnancies, having miscarried during both the first and second trimesters. Mrs. Sinan shared that:
“I was thin and frequently felt unwell and fatigued during my pregnancies. Subsequently, trained community health workers, known as the Village Health Support Group (VHSG), visited me at home to discuss beneficial practices during pregnancy. They observed me frail appearance and encouraged me to seek medical assistance from a local health provider at the Svay Leu Health Center.”
Eventually,I became pregnant again with my daughter, seeking care from a midwife on more than four occasions. I modified my daily habits, incorporating nutritious foods such as green leafy vegetables, meat, and local fruits into my diet. I increased my meal frequency to four times a day and began taking iron supplements. The VHSG offered nutritional counseling, emphasizing healthy eating, good hygiene practices, and the avoidance of risky behaviors, such as lifting heavy objects and recognizing danger signs during pregnancy.
Additionally, I engaged in community health awareness sessions organized by the health and nutrition program staff and the village health support group. I successfully gave birth to a healthy and intelligent baby girl, exclusively breastfeeding her for the first six months before introducing nutritious porridge alongside breast milk. I learned to prepare this porridge during a community cooking session facilitated by VHSG and FH staff. It is my great joy to see my daughter grow up healthy and strong, and I am really thankful to the FH program for enhancing my knowledge and assisting not only myself but also my community in adopting improved practices in prenatal care, nutrition, and daily hygiene”, she concluded.