By Baluku Alex
A 14 – year –old girl in Kasese has surprised parents by giving birth to a sounding baby boy after hiding her pregnancy for nine months.
The girl whose name has been withheld from the press because she is a minor is a primary six pupil at Mahango Primary School in Mahango sub-county, Kasese district.
The minor who is currently residing in Kikonzo cell of the Central Division in Kasese Municipality with her elder gave birth on July 15th at a clinic in the area.
However, the incident surprised her parents and relatives because she did not show any signs of pregnancy for the whole nine months. Her son has since been named “Surprise.”
What surprised everyone is that the young mother did not attend antenatal care after realizing that she had become pregnant when she visited Kabiriti Health Centre III when she developed malaria.
Rose Biira, her elder sister who is taking care of her says on the evening of July 15th, the minor felt unwell and carried her to the clinic for treatment but later the minor surprisingly gave birth to a sounding baby boy.
Rose says they had no idea Kabugho was carrying a baby because she didn’t gain a single pound in weight. “She had a completely flat stomach” Rose narrates”.
During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many changes, her breasts becomes larger while her abdomen transforms into a convex form and increasing the curvature at the back.
A woman also experiences nausea and vomiting, heart burn, tiredness, skin changes and itching of which the young mother did not experience.
As of 2020, the maternal mortality ratio in Uganda is 336 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Infant mortality is 43 deaths per 1000 live births, with 42% of the mortality occurring during the neonatal period. This might be related to a weak health system in the country.
While contacted on phone about the risks associated with failure to go for antenatal services, Sr. Loy Muhindo Sekalombi, the Kasese District Assistant Health Officer in-charge of Maternal Health, only recommended that despite delivering safely, the minor should go to the hospital for further management to ascertain any abnormalities that might have occurred during the process of delivery.
Antenatal and postnatal care services are amongst the recommended innervations aimed at preventing maternal and newborn death worldwide.
Antenatal, also ensures the safe health of both mother and infant.
