This is the story of Kateryna (name changed at the heroine's request), a woman who has overcome many life challenges but never gave up on her dream of becoming a mother. Thanks to the assistance of specialists from the SRH Mobile Health Unit, Kateryna received specialized medical care, support, and was able to conceive after eight month of unsuccessful attempts.

Kateryna, 35 years old, was born and raised in the city of Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast.

Severodonetsk. Photo by Serhiy Hayday.

“I sustained a spinal injury at the age of 25 and began using a wheelchair. I have always been an energetic person, so after rehabilitation, I took up swimming and participated in nationwide sports competitions. As a community activist, I was concerned about improving conditions for people with disabilities in my hometown," says Kateryna.

Medical consultation with a specialist from the SRH Mobile Health Unit in Kolomyia.

Due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kateryna and her mother had to evacuate in April 2022 from Severodonetsk to Kolomyia, in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. The experience of being forcibly displaced, challenges in a new workplace, and significant stress had taken a bad toll on Kateryna’s health. As a result, she had to go for temporary rehabilitation in Lviv.

When Kateryna was  in Lviv for temporary treatment, she met her future husband Andriy (name changed). The couple wanted to have a child, but  faced difficulties. Kateryna had taken  care of her health, undergoing regular preventive check-ups. Unfortunately, despite all their efforts, eight months passed with no pregnancy. 

 Due to the ongoing war and safety reasons, Kateryna and her husband decided to settle in the village of Kuty. One day,  a UNFPA-supported SRH Mobile Health Unit arrived in the village to provide medical consultations for locals. 

"After learning that there would be gynecologists in the medical team, I immediately decided to seek their consultation. I had only one question: could we have a child? Previously, during previous consultations with other medical professionals, no abnormalities were detected. I was fortunate to meet Dr. Irina Romanivna Maksymova, a gynecologist from the UNFPA SRH Mobile Health Unit, who, after the consultation, advised me to seek additional examination at the hospital," recalls the woman.

Medical specialists of the SRH Mobile Health Unit in Kolomyia.

The medical professionals from the SRH Mobile Health Unit in Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, provided infertility treatment after a detailed examination. This assistance ultimately helped Kateryna become pregnant.

"A month after the treatment, I had a strange feeling in my lower abdomen, and I didn't dare to think about [pregnancy], but I decided to take a test anyway. It showed two lines. Immediately after that, we called the doctor and scheduled an ultrasound, where we saw our little one. He's there. Our little miracle," shared Kateryna.

Kateryna's examination by the coordinator of the SRH Mobile Health Unit in Kolomyia.

Today, Kateryna is registered at a local women's consultation and regularly maintains contact with her doctor. She continues to receive consultations from the coordinator of the mobile healthcare team , Mykola Ilkiv. According to Kateryna, he is available 24/7, which really helps the course of her pregnancy.

Mykola Ilkiv, coordinator of the SRH Mobile Health Unit in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

Mobile units operate within the framework of humanitarian response measures of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, with the financial support of the European Union (ECHO), the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Canada, France and the Republic of Korea.