This is a Haitian pharmacy. It's blister packs of meds arranged by colour.
In the women's clinic today, a woman arrived visibly pregnant and asked for a check up. She looked a little pale. I asked her a few questions and learned that she was 6 months pregnant and had spent the night in writhing pain. She had taken cytotec purchased for $2 from a pharmacy such as this. Abortion is illegal in Haiti - but cytotec, like in Latin America, is a medical means for early abortion available to anyone. It is sold in readily available homebirth kits for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. If it only partially works for abortion, a woman can come into hospital reporting complications from a miscarriage and receive a D&C.
This woman wanted an abortion after learning she was pregnant a month ago. She thought she was pregnant earlier but a foreign health worker told her that it was normal to not have your period after the stress of the earthquake, but the worker didn't provide her with a pregnancy test. She lives in a tent with her three children, and her husband is dead under the rubble.
So, during the check up, I listened with the doppler, and for the first time in my career, I said "sorry madame, but your baby is still alive." She just laid on the cot with her hands over her eyes. I blathered on about options, don't do anything drastic, referrals....Then, gradually, she got up and arranged herself, thanked me with a tired smile, then left.
