109-kg woman, 45, delivers eighth child

        MUMBAI

     109-kg woman, 45, delivers eighth child

In an uncommon instance, a 45-year-old morbidly obese woman delivered a healthy baby girl — her eighth child — at the Cama and Albess Hospital last week, weighing 4.2 kg.

For the State’s only exclusive mother and child hospital, this delivery was different. When the nurse handed the newborn over to the family on February 4, there were mixed feelings among the baby’s siblings comprising five sisters and two brothers.Faced with multiple instances of much younger women struggling to conceive naturally, doctors were amused that Farah Shaikh (name changed) had conceived against all odds: she weighs 109 kg,. suffers from diabetes and hypertension, and her previous pregnancy had ended in a miscarriage last year.Ms. Shaikh, a resident of Cheeta Camp in Trombay, was referred to Cama Hospital by a local nursing home as it was a high risk pregnancy.

“The baby was very big and the mother had so many comorbid conditions. The delivery was definitely a high risk one, so we performed a Caesarean section,” gynaecologist Dr. Rajshree Katke, who performed the delivery, said. Dr. Katke, who is also the hospital’s medical superintendent, said natural conception at 45 is rare. “I have treated a pregnant woman aged 42, but that too is rare.

In this case, all the factors were odd: the woman is obese and the baby was big.”The eldest among Ms. Shaikh’s eight children, a daughter, is 27 and works in a bank. Next in line is a son, aged 24 and employed with a private firm. The third child, a daughter, is 21, married and a homemaker. Then come a girl, aged 19, who is pursuing a commerce degree, a 16-year-old daughter in Class XI, a 12-year-old daughter in Class VII and and a boy, aged 8, in Class III. Her husband, an electrician by profession, was earlier employed at a zari workshop in the Mideast.

‘No contraception’

Initially, the Shaikhs were reluctant to share Farah’s pregnancy history as they thought she would be pressurised into undergoing a permanent sterilisation procedure. The doctors too were highlighting the risks associated with another pregnancy. “We are not allowed to use contraception,” Ms. Shaikh told doctors. “By god’s grace all our children are doing well.”

“We had to counsel the patient and her husband at length to explain the risks involved if she should conceive again. Not only would her life be in danger, but the baby’s as well. At first, they were not willing to listen but we continued with our counselling till they finally agreed to sterilisation,” said Dr Katke adding that a tubal ligation procedure was performed on Shaikh. Tubal ligation also known as tubectomy is a sterilization procedure wherein the fallopian tubes are clamped to prevent eggs reaching them.

Embarrassing, say kids

The eldest Shaikh sibling said she finds her mother’s multiple pregnancies embarrassing. “When my fourth sibling was born, I was still happy, but after that, it became awkward for me. I think only our younger brother is excited as he will have someone to play with,” she said. “Several friends and relatives have been inquiring about the baby, but it just doesn’t feel good.”