Training of Roma Health Mediators in Reproductive Health

• Comfortable clothing and footwear
• Prevention of infectious diseases
• Avoidance of potentially harmful practices
• Sexual intercourse
• Emotional support
• Regular visits to the doctor for checkups
Write down the answers on a flipchart. Use the trainer document Needs of Pregnant
Women to complete the list if needed.
Organize the following activity (which will assist mediators in recognizing and
responding to common myths regarding pregnancy):
• Pair off the participants.
• Distribute to each pair one slip of paper containing one of the most common
myths regarding the needs during pregnancy, prepared before the session starts
(see trainer document Myths and Facts Regarding Pregnancy).
• Ask each pair to discuss among themselves and to decide whether the statement is
a fact or a myth. Give them about 2 minutes for discussion.
• One person from each pair will read out the statement written on the slip of paper
and tell whether the pair agrees or disagrees with the statement and why.
• Ask participants to explain how to respond to each myth. Use the “facts”
paragraph in the trainer document Myths and Facts Regarding Pregnancy as a
guide for helping participants to formulate their responses. Use the trainer
document Needs of Pregnant Women to complete the explanations as needed.
Discuss with participants how they can help a pregnant woman to take care of herself and
her baby during pregnancy. Emphasize that the mediator can play a vital role in
educating the pregnant woman, her husband, and other family members about a pregnant
woman’s special needs and how to fulfill them.
• The mediator can explain:
o What to eat
o How to get enough rest and sleep
o The importance of maintaining personal hygiene and infection prevention
o What work (exercise) she should do and what work to avoid.
o The importance of wearing comfortable clothing and footwear
o Avoidance of potentially harmful practices
o The importance of emotional support from the entire family
• The mediator can play a substantial role in:
o Maintaining the emotional health of the pregnant woman by actively listening to
her and re-assuring her.
o Countering myths and misconceptions regarding a woman’s needs and care
during pregnancy.
o Informing her about 'alarm signs' and when she needs to go immediately to a
health centre.
• The mediator can explain to the woman and her family:
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RFHI/JSI Romania Training of RHMs in Reproductive Health Session 6: Pregnancy