What immediate dangers did the new mother and baby face on the baseball field?

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The new mother and baby faced immediate dangers of unsanitary conditions and lack of medical equipment during the birth on the baseball field.

Eliana Garcia, 38 weeks pregnant, gave birth on a baseball field after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela's Caribbean coast. The delivery occurred in the early hours of June 25 under extremely challenging circumstances, with no running water or surgical gloves available. A paramedic assisted with the birth, relying solely on hand sanitiser and the light from mobile phones.
Lack of Basic Sanitation and Supplies

The birth took place without essential medical supplies, creating a high risk of infection for both mother and child. The paramedic had no access to running water or surgical gloves, relying instead on hand sanitiser. This absence of basic sanitation posed a significant threat in a post-disaster environment where infection control is paramount.
Improvised Medical Procedures

Critical steps in the delivery process had to be improvised due to the lack of equipment. The umbilical cord, for instance, was tied at both ends using hair ties and alcohol before being cut with nail scissors. This deviation from standard medical practice, necessitated by the extreme conditions, highlights the precariousness of the situation and the immediate dangers faced by the newborn.
Post-Birth Complications and Emotional Trauma

Following the birth, the baby was born silent, causing immediate distress to the family before he eventually began to cry. The mother, Eliana Garcia, was then transferred by her family using makeshift transport, including a motorised garbage cart and later an ambulance, to a public hospital. This suggests that immediate post-natal care was also severely compromised by the disaster's impact on infrastructure and medical services.

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What immediate dangers did the new mother and baby face on the baseball field?

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