10-year-old rape victim gives birth
The 10-year-old rape victim who was denied an abortion by the Indian Supreme Court last month has given birth via caesarean section.
She does not know, however, that she has had a baby, reports BBC News. She was told that she had a big stone in her tummy that needed to come out.
Reports say the baby was born premature at 35 weeks and weighed 2.5 kilos. The child will be put up for adoption.
The tragic case of the pregnancy was discovered after the girl complained of stomach pains and went to the doctor where it was revealed she was pregnant. She then told her parents that her uncle had rape her multiple times over the last seven months.
The young girl was never told that she was pregnant, only that she had a stone in her stomach.
The uncle has been arrested on charges of rape, but is yet to face trial.
Indian law forbids abortions to pregnancies that are past their 20th week. However in cases such as this one the child may not know that they are pregnant until after this point, meaning they are ineligible for an abortion unless doctors can prove their life is at risk.
The parents of the girl have said they they want nothing to do with the baby, who will be put up for adoption after being treated for premature complications in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Rates of child abuse are as high as 53.22% in India, with a child under 16 raped every 155 minutes, report BBC.
This article first published on New Idea.
