Underground Births, Under Bombardment: Childbearing in Ukraine
Bombings, blackouts and displacement compound maternal anxiety. Still, many women persevere. “We must bring new life,” one said. Photographs by Lynsey Addario By Maria Varenikova, Lynsey Addario and Oleksandra Mykolyshyn The New York Times reported from eight cities and 10 hospitals across Ukraine, interviewing over 40 women about their pregnancies. July 1, 2026 Updated 8:33 a.m. ET In the terrifying first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Inna Slavhorodska fled her home in eastern Ukraine and made it to Germany, miles from the bombs and gunfire. Ms. Slavhorodska, now 38, was pregnant at the time. After her escape, she miscarried at five months, losing the baby. Fighting raged on. Ms. Slavhorodska still wanted a baby, even though she was convinced that war-related stress had made her lose one already. She returned home to the city of Kharkiv, where Ukraine’s military had pushed back Russian forces in late 2022, and again became pregnant. This January, she gave birth to a heal...