CREATING LIFE DURING A PANDEMIC:

In the article ¨Sharing One Skin: The Okanagan Community,¨ the author Jeanette Armstrong explains that although she comes from two different clans, Kettle Falls and Mountain people, she identifies herself as both because she knows in her heart that that is home to her. She feels a strong connection with her heritage , family and community and without any of those she knows herself she is not whole. She knows that even though she is totally different they are the same people and they are stronger together as one. Armstrong understands she has responsibilities that she has to respond to, on both sides of her clans. The understanding of the four main capacities are important to her, she explains that understanding those will help you find yourself and others. The language is how it is important to know the meanings behind words, how the meanings describe the people themselves. Through language is connection, through family, culture and land is connection.

In the article ¨Native American Identity¨ ,the author Perry G. Horse explains the ways the native american culture is being ripped apart slowly, how soon us native american will begin following all the ways of a white man. Currently our native people are losing their language daily, losing their ceremonies, everything will soon be lost if it is not saved by future generations. There are so many issues being dealt with as a native american, racial comments, the legal system, the privilege and benefits that others have we dont. We are not learning our own ways, we are learning the dominant culture, although we live in the white man's world, we should be able to gain, learn, and teach others the ways of our people. Tribal government has authority to choose who is able to be enrolled into any tribal community. The author compares what it woud have looked like hundreds of years ago to now and said how back then those were ¨real American Indians.

In the article ¨Corona Disease 2019 and pregnancy: What Obstetricians Need To Know,¨ the author Sonja A Rasmussen, explains the coronavirus and the increased risk for pregnant women and the complications possible. Currently in the U.S. patients 49-56 years of age have been hospitalized, a higher percentage of men than women. Although there is not enough data for increased susceptibility for pregnant women, there are certainly dangers if a woman does test positive for covid-19. During December 2019, women that were pregnant and had the virus all had c-sections and no transmission was traced. Later on as the virus worsened, complications began with respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, renal failure, bacterial pneumonia, and sepsis which made it harder for women to have healthy pregnancies. Ventilators were three times needed with pregnant women than in non pregnant women. As complications have worsened, labor and deliveries have become more dangerous, many births have ended with fetal demise, stillbirth or have been birthed premature. Many have chosen to get abortions because during the first trimester the virus was detected. Women are recommended to isolate themselves as early as they can, also to limit traveling especially to China. In the article SARS/MERS was mentioned and how symptoms can be non existent and could be daily as well. Currently, it is unknown if coronavirus is transferred through breastfeeding.

In the article “A Hospital's Secret Coronavirus Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns¨ ,the author Bryant Furlow explains the new secret policy that is happening in the hospitals. Currently newborns are being taken from their mothers, to prevent the spread of covid-19. Special screenings are done to check for women who identify as native americans, and mothers are also asked to release their zip codes. If their zip codes make the “pueblo list,” then that means that the mother is under investigation. A “pueblo list” is a list of zip codes of the 19 pueblos and other nations. Many staff members believe that this secret policy is racial profiling towards native americans. CDC guidelines for evaluating a pregnant woman does not include geographing screenings. Hospitals have the right to go through the test they want to do, as of right now no consent from the mother is needed. Although the mothers are not showing symptoms or haven't come in contact with anyone who had tested potice with covid-19, the baby is still taken at birth. When the baby is born, they are taken into the NICU and separated from other infants. There are many downsides from the baby being taken from the mother, one being the delay of breastfeeding, there are important health benefits from breastfeeding your newly born baby. Mothers also get the benefit of having a low risk of getting breast cancer. With this secret policy going on, and native mothers not being aware, it is really discouraging to those who want to have hospital birth, it makes them more aware.

In the article ¨Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy Complications on Maternal Health: A Review,¨ the author Ran Neiger explains all the possible complications there are when getting pregnant. Many complications start at delivery or right after giving birth. Possible complications include high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and much more. Gestational diabetes is when blood sugar is high, this affects 10% of pregnancies, and also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Preeclampsia is a result of high blood pressure and can lead to damaging of the liver and kidneys, this affects 2-8% of pregnancies. It often happens after the 20 weeks of pregnancy and increases the risk of CVD morbidity and mortality. A normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks but when preterm labor occurs, a baby's lungs aren't fully developed, they have trouble eating and gaining weight. Women who have complications are at a higher risk of having similar problems for future pregnancies and also diseases later in life. It is a factor that having more children puts mothers at a higher risk for CHD, but when the mother breastfeeds her baby it lowers the risk. Breastfeeding is encouraged to all mothers so that both the mother and her baby are gaining their nutirents. Although there are many risk factors while pregnant, there are ways you can lower the risk of complications such as maintaining a healthy diet, weight loss, and doing physical activity.

In the article ¨H1N1 Influenza in Pregnancy: What all Obstetrics Care Providers Ought to Know,” the author Amanda Carlson talks about the 2009 H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, and lets the care workers to know the effects this virus had on pregnant woman. Mothers and their fetuses have a higher chance of getting infected with the virus. 4 out of 5 women have an increased rate of illness and hospitalization, it was noted that a woman and a child who had chronic underlying diseases died from the H1N1 influenza. Symptoms include shortness of breath,cough, sore throat, fever, and many more, many women come into hospitals with shortness of breath. Pregnant women who are infected with the virus are within their third trimester of their pregnancies, and once the symptoms begin they should get treated at an early stage due to the risk of the fetus. Mother who had early on complications in their pregnancies went through with abortions due to the higer risk of the baby getting the virus. The author also mentions the 1918 spanish flu and how it left one third of the world's population ill and hospitalized. When a baby was born during the H1N1 pandemic, they were immediately taken from their mothers and isolated. Like any other virus it is encouraged to wear a mask and follow clear instructions on how to stop the spread. For those who are breastfeeding it was unsure if the virus was transmitted through breast milk but for infants who are not breastfeeding are more likely to catch the virus. Treatments included oseltamivir and zanamivir, pregnant women should be treated right away once the first symptoms are shown.

In the article “Indigenous Women Report Racism and Neglect in COVID-19 Canada Childbirth” the author Annie Burns-Pieper explains how indigenous mothers who are pregnant are getting mistreated and racially profiled. These hardships were started even before the pandemic but worsened along the way. Currently as Native Americans, it is our biggest fear bringing back the virus to our communities and spreading it to our elders. With this pregnant indigenous mothers are refusing to step foot into largely crowded areas with fear, especially hospitals, causing dance for both the mother and her fetus. With the pandemic going on, many other the mothers check up dates are moved to being virtually, but with indigenous mothers living on the reservation, wifi signals are not always promised, meaning the mother miss out on the vitals and important information. Doctors are also unable to diagnose, if any, problems for the mother or her baby. This leads to the dangers for birth and delivery utting the mother and the newborn at risk for death, in some cases has happened. As mothers begin to run out of resources and the support they need in order to maintain their healthy pregnancy, they begin to consider home births. Home Births which are dangerous and put the babies at high risk due to the amount of people residing in the home. Indigenous mothers also consider this route because they are told there can be a limited number of people when the time of delivery comes, which means any traditions activities practiced during the birthing process cannot happen properly. For those mothers who live far from the cities they are most likely to travel to the hospitals alone, without their partners, which is their main support since family cannot be there. Currently pueblos and reservations have a quarantine policy if you travel, so when these mothers have their babies, they must quarantine for 14 days alone with their newborn baby in hotels that don't supply food and laundry. Many mothers have described this time “mentally draining,” it has a mental and emotional effect on the mothers. When mothers are in the hospital pain medication for birthing isn't always promised, because these indigenous mothers are stereotyped as “drug addicts” or “thieves.” Midwives and doulas see how every client is mistreated differently. Social workers are brought in when a mother is in labor so that after the babies are born, they are taken before the mother can have skin to skin time with the baby. The author shows how Indigenous mothers are having to battle racism and being mistreated just so they can bring a life into this world.

In the article “Novel Coronavirus, Access to Abortion Services , and Briding Western an Indigineous Knowledge in a Postpandemic World,” the author Renee Monchalin explains that In Canada how one third of Indigenous and Two-Spirit women go through in getting abortions. Many women depend on the abortion services and many pregnancies are caused by violence among women and girls, mostly sexual vilolence which is three time higher when being Native American then any other race. During the coronavirus pandemic the abortion clininc have either decreased opened hours are they have temporarily closed. Abrotion is a very sensitive topic and traumatizing for most women, during the process many women claim there is no support given such as coping classes. A woman explaining the process she went through and her feeling, shes says right after the procedure which there was no communication of what to expect, before or after, they sent her home and no griefing classes and 10 years later her abortion haunts her. In most tradtitional communites, abortions arent the culture, but when sexual assult or any type of violence, women will try anything, including putting their lifes on the line, in order to terminate their pregnancy. A survey that was taken by indigenous and two-spirit women showed that they are more worried about domestic violence then the virus itself. There are many ways in tradition that women can prevent pregnancy, but there are many sterotypes among native women and wanting abortions. The woman who told her story says she would try her best to hide her identity so she wouldn't experience different treatment. Although abortions is legal in Canada it is harder and uneasy to access abortion services and most times isnt safe. There is a high level of stigma around abortions, and it is said that if elders are brought into classrooms and teach the ways of pregnancy prevention and it is important to learn from the elders before its too late. During a pandemic, it said the abortion clinic should be open for women. As being a Native American it is harder for women to be able to access health care, and they shouldnt have to face racism or be sterotypes for wanting an abortion.