In another instance illustrating the apparent ease of birth, a teenager has given birth unassisted on a toilet after thinking that she had taken appropriate precautions by taking emergency contraception (EC). Of course this also indicates the need for compulsory sex education, as doctors concur that it is a regular occurrance that girls become pregnant after having taken EC (this is written in the print version). If that’s true, I wonder why this case has gotten special media coverage. Probably because of the sensational conditions of the birth!
“The case also shows the complete breakdown on communication in nuclear families where the parents, who are also educated, did not notice that the girl was pregnant for the whole of nine months,” says Thaker.
Amazing how neither the girl, nor her parents, suspected nothing. It is disturbing how this girl must have been educated enough to know about emergency contraception, but not to know how to take it properly, nor know the signs of pregnancy. Especially in this age of internet accessibility, how could she not have done a bit of research on what was going on with her body? But obviously she didn’t even realise anything different was happening to her because she didn’t have any suspicions that the EC didn’t work! Incredible. I am having a hard time getting my head around this one.
I am not blaming her though, because of course I believe it is a shame that sex education is not mandatory for schools and is mired in controversy. Too bad this girl and her unwanted baby have been victims of Indian society’s ambivalence on and aversion to sexuality.
