Heart-Wrenching Pictures Show Pregnant Syrian Refugees As New Mothers

These Babies Were Born Into Lives Their Syrian Mothers Are Desperate To Escape

Amid sandstorms, crushing poverty and the uncertainty over when they will ever go home, these Syrian women struggle to provide for their children, born into a makeshift refugee camp near Mafraq in Jordan.

More than four million Syrians have fled their country and are now registered as refugees.

Even in Jordan's registered camps life is desperate but those who live in makeshift camps face even more dire choices to be able to live close to their jobs on local farms or to have greater freedom.

The women, one aged just 16, were photographed by the Associated Press' Muhammed Muheisen in March when they pregnant and pictured again in August with their children, born into a life their mothers are desperate to escape.

Syrian refugees who gave birth in camps
Taleea Farhan, 33(01 of09)
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Her fifth child, son Belal, was in good health until the day a sandstorm swept through their camp.
"Our tent fell on us. I picked up my newly born child in my arms and ran with my other children randomly till we all hid ourselves in a neighbour's tent for two hours till the storm calmed down. During these two hours we didn't stop crying, it was so scary. Up to now, all my children are suffering from infection from the dust."
(credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Mona Hussein, 33(02 of09)
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She had her daughter Zahra, her third child, just before the sandstorm as well. "We are left alone. No one comes to check on us. We live by the roadside." (credit:AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Khalida Moussa, 28(03 of09)
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Moussa recently gave birth to her son Abdulelah, her fourth child.
"I delivered several days after my due day and I was so afraid. We had to borrow money for me to deliver and up to now my husband hasn't paid it back. He can't afford it."
(credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Wadhah Hamada, 22(04 of09)
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Hamada just gave birth to her first son, Ra'fat. "Winter is so cold, summer is hot and dry. My husband hardly works and some of the decisions we had to make have been deciding what is more important: To buy bread to feed ourselves or medicine in case my child is in need?
"A day of treatment for my baby who suffered from diarrhea is like a month of work for my husband."
(credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Feedah Ali, 18(05 of09)
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Ali gave birth to her first daughter, Khadija on August 14.
"We left Syria two years ago with nothing and today we have nothing, I wish someone could turn to us, help us, take us out of our misery."
(credit:AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Bushra Eidah,16(06 of09)
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Eidah knew life would get harder with the birth of her daughter Salam, but she still feels disappointed in this "unfair world".
"We used to be two and now we are three.When it was only me and my husband, it didn't matter if we went to sleep hungry, but now we have a child and I don't know how we are going to feed her."
(credit:(AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen))
Mahdiya Alkhalid, 36(07 of09)
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Alkhalid worried about the future when she was pregnant with her second daughter, Mariam. Now that Mariam is four and a half months old, the challenges seem even greater.
"We are the ones who live outside of the registered camps with miserable conditions. My husband has no work. All we want is people to help us and pay us some attention."
(credit:AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Huda Alhumaidi, 30(08 of09)
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Alhumaidi does not know what to do after the birth of her seventh child, Islam.
"I'm speechless, I have no words left. We are done complaining and begging for help. We are abandoned here. I just want to go back to my country. Even if we have to start from zero there as we lost our home, at least we will be able to live with dignity."
(credit:AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Huda Alsayil, 20(09 of09)
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After delivering Mezwid, her first son, despite fears of medical complications, Alsayil says she now feels "complete" for the first time in months. "Holding him feels like the best gift I could be granted," she says. (credit:AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)