Anna really goes through a lot herself and share it in this book as well as sharing stories of women she has met, and helped over the years. When I originally picked the book up I expected this to be a story of a midwife in the UK during the Covid pandemic, but this wasn't the case. This is at once an astonishing story of the realities of frontline humanitarian work, and a powerful reminder of the critical, life-giving work of nurses and doctors at home and around the world. Anna Kent not only lays bare her own struggles and losses but those of the pregnant women and babies she cares for in some of the world's most deprived places.

I knew ‘Frontline Midwife’ would be a terrific book ever since Anna, who I once met in Bangladesh, told me she was writing it. I will forever hold in my heart the stories that she has told from the depths of Sudan to the Bangladesh Shacks. While the subject matter prevents the book from being described as an ‘easy read’, it is accessible, with short, powerful chapters and strong depictions of places and people. In this stunning, gripping true story, Anna Kent confronts unimaginable hardships to do good in the world . Gives a first hand account of the challenges, courage and personal toll of providing healthcare in conflict zones, whilst documenting the personal stories of those living there.As part of her work, she was able to lead the building of a new maternity hospital and this was such an achievement for her. By way of a disclaimer, I worked with Anna during her time in South Sudan and have had the honour to know her during the rest of her time with MSF, so can attest to not only the accuracy of her reflections but the strength of her commitment to women’s health.

It would be easy to fall into the trap of comparing the dangerous birthing experiences of women in places such as south Sudan and Bangladesh with the relative comfort of women accessing UK maternity provision, and to portray UK mothers as ungrateful or overprivileged. The type of difference Anna has made is how I hope to practice once qualified, everyone deserves the best care possible. I certainly cried reading most of it and really felt like I could connect with the people in the book. However bad it is here it’s infinitely better than some folks have it so the next time somebody feels like a good whinge about life in general this is a book I’d recommend they read. Compare this with the fleeting connections she has with the women she treats, trying to cut through politics, patriarchal society and personal doubt to help the women and their babies.Anna goes from being confident in what she has to do, to being in a panic she will never cope and wanting to head right back home, to ultimately not wanting to go home. Angry at the ongoing horrific loss of life and the disability causes by a lack of midwifery care and basics such as clean water, sanitation, food and immunisations. We don't generally hear so much about aid work so this was a great read, and very squemish in places, medical practices that are completely unheard of in England with our medical facilities.

Once she arrives at the area she will work, she is certainly shocked by the conditions she will have to work in, as well as those she is going to be working with. Being an aid worker doesn’t just change and affect Anna’s work life and career path it also changes her personal relationships and her whole life path.

I was an outreach nurse, in a place that had seen 50 years of civil war, covering a geographical area of Belgium.