In Kharkiv — a city in Ukraine living under constant air attacks and shelling threats since the conflict began — obstetricians continue to fight for the lives of their youngest patients.

In Kharkiv, vital neonatal medicines are helping premature babies breathe and survive.

Preterm babies often suffer from respiratory distress syndrome — their lungs simply aren’t ready to function on their own. As winter approaches, premature babies in Ukraine could endure even more life-threatening health complications. 

In the neonatal intensive care unit, doctors care for babies born prematurely. Medications supplied by UNFPA aid them in their work by supporting lung function and stimulating the brain’s breathing center.

Mothers in Ukraine also face constant stress due to the war, as well as limited access to medical supervision, which can lead to pregnancy complications.

Since the start of the war in 2022, there have been more than 2,000 attacks on medical facilities across Ukraine, and at least 81 attacks disrupted the work doctors are doing to provide healthcare to mothers and newborns. 

Eight medical workers were killed as a result of these attacks.

UNFPA’s mobile teams travel across Ukraine, including to the front lines, offering immediate emergency interventions as well as access to longer-term assistance.

Despite the constant danger, the neonatal intensive care team in Kharkiv continues their daily mission of giving every premature baby a chance to survive. With the support of UNFPA, hospitals and perinatal centers receive the medicines and equipment they need so that every child can take their first breath.

Right now, we’re in Giving Tuesday season, meaning that every gift supporters like you make gives us twice the power to deliver care, medicines, and supplies when it’s needed most. Every gift is matched!

As winter approaches and temperatures plummet, this work has never been more important. Can you make a lifesaving 2X-MATCHED contribution to bring healthcare and dignity to women and girls in Ukraine, and wherever help is needed most?

Thank you for being there for the most vulnerable living through humanitarian crises. 

— USA for UNFPA