First Baby Born in 12 Years in Remote Brazilian Island Fernando de Noronha Where Childbirth is Banned
Ban on childbirth was the government’s policy answer to address the lack of maternity services.
Fernando de Noronha, an island roughly consisting of 3000 people off the coast of the most eastern part of Brazil has banned childbirth and there has been no birth since past 12 years. But things changed by accident on May 18 (Friday) when a 22-year-old local woman who hadn’t realised she was pregnant and unexpectedly gave birth. The baby came as a surprise to everyone including the parents.
The woman who gave birth to a baby girl told O Globo newspaper that she had a negative pregnancy test and didn’t have symptoms throughout her pregnancy until she felt a strong pain and, in the bathroom, saw something coming down between her legs. “The mother, who does not want to be identified, went into labour at home,” the island’s administration said in a statement carried by the newspaper. “The family says it wasn’t aware of the pregnancy.” The unidentified mother said, “On Friday night I had pains and when I went to the bathroom I saw something coming down between my legs. That’s when the child’s father came and picked it up. It was a baby, a girl. I was dumbstruck.”
Fernando de Noronha, famous for its wildlife preserve doesn’t authorise births because there’s no maternity ward, O Globo reported. Ban on childbirth was the government’s policy answer to address the lack of maternity services. While the island has a hospital, it doesn’t have the infrastructure for childbirth or prenatal care. Pregnant women travel 227 miles to the mainland Natal where they receive prenatal and childbirth care.
The maternity ward of the island’s hospital closed in 2004 for the reason many maternity wards gets closed everywhere: it was not sustainable and the maintaining costs were skyrocketing. Instead, the local government pays return airfare for each expecting mother and an escort to deliver on the mainland. However, many people do not consider this solution as viable. The government has been accused of breaking the ‘right to be born’, and many women have complained about having to spend a long time away from home. Health authorities have issued a statement following the event to highlight the importance of seeking adequate prenatal and maternity care.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2018 10:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).