Country: Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Source: Save the Children CARACAS, 23 July 2026 – Thousands of pregnant women and new mothers require access to healthcare, nutritious food and safe shelter one month after two devastating earthquakes damaged health facilities and displaced about 21, 000 people in Venezuela, Save the Children said. T he UN estimates there are 36, 700 pregnant women who have been affected by the earthquakes, 4, 000 of whom are expected to give birth in the next month, equivalent to about 130 babies born every day. [1] The twin earthquakes, of magnitude 7. 2 and 7. 5, struck on 24 June, destroying and damaging dozens of health facilities and disrupting essential maternal and child healthcare services. Women have told Save the Children staff that some obstetricians and paediatricians were among the over 5, 000 people killed in the disaster, leaving families uncertain where to seek care for themselves and their children. In La Guaira, which was hardest hit, the main maternity hospital remains closed and, while basic care is available, complicated cases must be referred to Caracas. Many pregnant women, caregivers, and their children who lost their homes are now living in temporary shelters where access to antenatal care, nutritious food, and clean water and sanitation is limited. At the same time, many are coping with the traumatic loss of loved ones. Research shows that high levels of stress and anxiety during pregnancy may affect a baby’s brain development and immune system, increasing the risk of preterm birth or even miscarriage. Babies exposed to elevated maternal stress during pregnancy may also show more fear, sadness and distress at three months of age than those born to mothers who experienced less stress. Limited access to nutritious food, uncontrolled infant formula donations, and reduced antenatal care during pregnancy also heightens the risk of malnutrition in infants and increases the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. Yohana, * 23, who is pregnant with her first child and relies on glasses to see, was alone at home in one of the hardest-hit parts of La Guaira when the earthquake hit, causing her building to collapse. She managed to escape by breaking a window, although she could not get her glasses until later, adding to her panic. “I went out barefoot, just wearing my house clothes, ” said Yohana*. “I lost my glasses. .. I couldn’t see, or at least I could see less. ” “When the whole house collapsed, I was scared. At that moment, I didn’t feel that I had hurt [my stomach], but with all the chaos, I wasn’t sure if I’d gotten hurt or not. But honestly, all I was thinking about was getting out alive. ” Yohana* received a healthcare checkup at a mobile clinic run by Save the Children partner, Paluz in La Guaira. Meanwhile, newborn babies and infants living in sodden tents are falling sick from damp conditions or are at risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue during the country’s rainy season. Some mothers living in temporary shelters say that along with feeling stressed and anxious, being able to buy nappies and other essential supplies for their babies is challenging. Yennifer*, 23, who is breastfeeding her four-month-old baby, Carmen*, struggled to take care of her own health after the earthquake. Carmen’s* paediatrician was also killed in the earthquake. “I couldn’t eat and I had a lot of headaches. I couldn’t sleep because it felt like I was shaking. It was difficult for me, and any movement put me on alert and I felt very uneasy. ” “Since [Carmen’s*] paediatrician passed away, that’s a big worry, because now how am I going to find someone to treat her because there’s no money either, ” Yennifer* said. “Everything feels overwhelming and I can’t rest”. Fatima Andraca, Save the Children’s Country Director in Venezuela said: “Every day about 130 babies are born to mothers in Venezuela whose lives have been turned upside down by the earthquake and who are dealing with huge amounts of stress. Many are bringing their newborns into a world of uncertainty, displacement and disrupted healthcare services. “We’re hearing worrying reports of young babies becoming sick in camps where families are sleeping on damp mattresses exposed to rain and poor sanitation. At the same time, women are grieving loved ones, coping with trauma and worrying about where they can access healthcare after losing trusted obstetricians and paediatricians. “Pregnancy and caring for a newborn can be challenging under any circumstances. No mother should have to navigate those challenges while living in a tent, mourning losses and worrying about whether her child can access the healthcare they need. ” Save the Children said it is imperative that pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and their children, are prioritised in the humanitarian response and recovery in Venezuela through urgent coordination, adequate funding, and targeted actions. Save the Children is calling on international governments, donors and humanitarian partners to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding women affected by the earthquake have continuous access to quality antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, skilled infant and young child feeding support, nutritious food, safe shelter, clean water and sanitation, and essential newborn supplies, both now and in the months ahead. Save the Children is on the ground in Venezuela, working with authorities and local partners providing primary healthcare through mobile clinics, distributing hygiene kits, clean water and essential supplies. Save the Children is also supporting parents and caregivers to access services for small and nutritionally at-risk babies under six months to help them survive and thrive, including nutrition assessments for babies, and breastfeeding counselling and mental health support for caregivers. The organisation is also exploring potential support to maternal and paediatric services in coordination with national health authorities. Save the Children has been working in Venezuela since 2019. Since the humanitarian crisis started to rapidly deteriorate a few years ago, Save the Children has been scaling up its response through local partners to support the increasing number of children in need. Save the Children is delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security and livelihoods support. Ends *Names changed for anonymity We have multimedia content available here: Interviews – www. contenthubsavethechildren. org/Package/2O4C2SPNE94A Photos & B-ROLL -www. contenthubsavethechildren. org/Package/2O4C2SPAIDCE Notes to editors [1] UNFPA estimated that 4, 000 women will give birth in the next month, as of its 8 July 2026 update. https: //www. unfpa. org/resources/flash-update-earthquakes-venezuela-24-26-june-2026. This is just over 130 births a day. For more information Aisha Majid, Data Media Manager (in Madrid), Aisha. majid@savethechildren. org Out of hours (BST) contact, media@savethechildren. org. uk
Venezuela Earthquakes: Pregnant Women and New Mothers Face Growing Health Risks as about 130 Babies Born Every Day
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