Girl, 11, Gives Birth to Baby Boy

[Ali G. 37]

Girl, 11, Gives Birth to Baby Boy in Northeast Hospital

Friday , February 05, 2010

By Jessica Ryen Doyle

An 11-year-old girl in the Northeast recently gave birth to a baby boy, the girl’s family told Fox News.

"My daughter and (her) baby are fine, and the baby is absolutely beautiful," said the mother of the 11-year-old girl. The girl and her family are not being named in order to protect the new parent's privacy.

According to Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing health editor of FoxNews.com, the girl’s age places her in significant danger.

"A very comprehensive approach to her care needs to be instituted early in her pregnancy," Alvarez said.

A recent report by the Guttmacher Institute said teen pregnancies in the U.S. were up 3 percent in 2006. But this case is not about a teenager, noted Dr. Abdulla Al-Khan, a leading high-risk obstetrician — it’s about a pre-teen whose body is not yet built to carry a child.

"Her body is clearly not defined for pregnancy with its short stature," Al-Khan said. "Her chest is not extensively developed for breast tissue, her bones aren't quite fused, and once you expose a child this young to high amounts of progesterone and especially estrogen, there is (a possibility) that it could halt her growth."

Al-Khan said other medical challenges facing a pregnant girl as young as 10 or 11 include:

— The pelvis is not defined for natural childbirth;

— The ####### could sustain injury during a natural birth;

— The patient is at high risk for preeclampsia, a pregnancy condition marked by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, and which can lead to convulsions and multi-system organ failure;

— A higher risk of pre-term labor and delivery, which would mean the baby’s size would be compromised, leaving the baby at risk for developmental issues, fetal growth restriction and chromosomal abnormalities;

— Higher incidence of stillbirth;

— Higher incidence of cholestasis of pregnancy, a condition caused by the blockage of bile, which can lead to stillbirth and placenta issues;

— A chance of developing fatty liver, which can be fatal.

"The textbooks don’t even tell you how to deal with a 10-year-old; it’s completely different even though we understand the basics," Al-Khan said.

Al-Khan said a patient like this would benefit from early intervention and would have to be seen on a weekly basis during the pregnancy to prevent complications.

"Think about how difficult a pregnancy is for someone in their 20s or 30s ... the aches, pains, the sleep deprivation," Al-Khan said. "Now imagine it in a child."

There are also psychological issues associated with pre-teen pregnancy because a 10-year-old cannot be mentally ready to give birth, Al-Khan said.

"This is heart-wrenching because you have a kid whose mental capacities can’t possibly wrap themselves around what it means to be a mother," agreed Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and Fox News contributor. "There are so many psychological minefields in store for her. Feelings of guilt, feelings of wanting to nurture another human being, and yet this is all very, very complex and intense when she looks to her own family to essentially support, and if you will, father her child."

Ablow pointed out that the girl is dependent on her own family to take care of her, yet she now has a child who is dependent on her.

"She has her own life plan, and yet there’s another life that should take precedence," Ablow said.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all 15-19 year-olds in the U.S. have had sex at least once.

In 2002, some 13 percent of never-married females aged 15-19 had had sex before the age of 15, according to the think tank.

Al-Khan said it was likely that the possibility of terminating the baby would have come up in this case, because as sensitive a subject as it is, going through with the pregnancy would be a greater risk than having an abortion.

The youngest documented case of a child pregnancy was in 1939 in Lima, Peru, Al-Khan said. Lina Medina was six years old when she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584936,00.html

[Ali G. 37]

"My daughter and (her) baby are fine, and the baby is absolutely beautiful," said the mother of the 11-year-old girl. The girl and her family are not being named in order to protect the new parent's privacy.

Of course her baby will be fine. Uncle Bill here is the one that will be paying for its upbringing.

[Sc0tt28 26]

Of course her baby will be fine. Uncle Bill here is the one that will be paying for its upbringing.

Just think, when the newborn graduates high school, mom will be under 30 years old. She could be a grandma before she turns 35 (unless her newborn also has a child at an early age). And a great-grandma by 55.

[Ali G. 37]

Sex education, coupled with responsible parenting, seems to be working extremely well in this case. We hold schools and the rest of society accountable yet when it comes to negligent and irresponsible parents, they get a free pass; freedom of choice I believe. Well, where is my freedom to not have to support this child? She cannot even work for another five or six years.

In 2010, I think parents should be held personally accountable for the actions of their child, that is under 16. Why is it okay for a parents to sue and cry murder when their child is allegedly wronged, yet hide and shift blame when the child does wrong?

[Ali G. 37]

I would like to know where the parents were when their 5th / 6th grader was having sex.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Booyah

[Muh and me 18]

I would like to know where the parents were when their 5th / 6th grader was having sex.

I agree, this is the most ridculous thing i've heard of! 11 years old and her life is ruined!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I agree, this is the most ridculous thing i've heard of! 11 years old and her life is ruined!

Her parents need to step it up so that her life isn't ruined. No more mistakes like this. A major set back, but there is still hope for a good future.

[Ali G. 37]

Her parents need to step it up so that her life isn't ruined. No more mistakes like this. A major set back, but there is still hope for a good future.

If this happened at a school, even due to these kids sneaking out, the same parents would cry murder and blame blame blame; not to mention sue. Since it happened on their watch, then it's all quite on the western front, furthermore, they get anonymity.

It also shows that this generation of kids, on their third iphone and with an ego the size of Kim Kardashians azz, has zero grasp of reality and the cost of life.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Booyah

[Calypso 464]

Her parents need to step it up so that her life isn't ruined. No more mistakes like this. A major set back, but there is still hope for a good future.

A baby will always be a blessing. The baby didn't ruin her life. Being young is never an excuse to be an idiot.

I can't even get to blame the parents. Some parents do their best and give their all to their kids but they can't be in the same place where their kids go 24/7. A parent can only do so much and the kid does the rest.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

And I wonder where the father of this child is in this whole thing.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

A baby will always be a blessing. The baby didn't ruin her life. Being young is never an excuse to be an idiot.

I can't even get to blame the parents. Some parents do their best and give their all to their kids but they can't be in the same place where their kids go 24/7. A parent can only do so much and the kid does the rest.

What you say is also true. There are parents who do their best to give their kids the proper upbringing and tools to make the right decisions in life. Unfortunately, sh!t happens at times. But also, this type of thing is becoming way to common today.

[Ali G. 37]

A baby will always be a blessing. The baby didn't ruin her life. Being young is never an excuse to be an idiot.

I can't even get to blame the parents. Some parents do their best and give their all to their kids but they can't be in the same place where their kids go 24/7. A parent can only do so much and the kid does the rest.

My parents were not my best friends, they were my parents, the adults of the house. You are right that parents cannot be with you 24/7, however, you know what prevented me from doing anything close to that? The fear of having to tell them about it.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

My parents were not my best friends, they were my parents, the adults of the house. You are right that parents cannot be with you 24/7, however, you know what prevented me from doing anything close to that? The fear of having to tell them about it.

I think this is true for most of us who were raised old school style. There has always been teen pregnancy, but not like there is today. Babies having babies.

[Ali G. 37]

What you say is also true. There are parents who do their best to give their kids the proper upbringing and tools to make the right decisions in life. Unfortunately, sh!t happens at times. But also, this type of thing is becoming way to common today.

Of course, all of the folks I know in 2010 that have good well rounded kids have a few things in common. The parents are adult disciplinarians, kids know that they are kids (not best friends or adults), they have an intellectual or religious oriented household (more reading, zero MTV), and the parents are heavily involved in the kids life. That is, no keeping the door locked because 'it's my bedroom'.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Booyah

[Ali G. 37]

I think this is true for most of us who were raised old school style. There has always been teen pregnancy, but not like there is today. Babies having babies.

Contrary to Pike's (GH) belief of 2010 being no different to previous decades, look at the attitude of this 11 year old's parent. She speaks like her 26 year old financially stable married daughter, has given birth to her first child.

Screw anonymity, her faux adult parents don't deserve it. I would like to know how they and their 11 year old is going to pay for this baby. It better not be our taxes.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Booyah