The chosen one: Baby born holding mother’s birth control device in hand

Team Udayavani, Jul 16, 2020, 2:42 PM IST

Photo: Hai Phong International Hospital Facebook page

Hai Phong (Vietnam): In a bizarre incident, a was born holding his mother’s intrauterine device (IUD) at Hai Phong International Hospital in Vietnam.

The baby boy was kicking and screaming with his mother’s IUD (intrauterine device) in hand.

Amazed by looking at the baby born holding his mother’s intrauterine device in his hand Dr. Tran Viet Phuong the obstetrician working at the hospital captured the moment and posted the photos on Facebook. The post has since received over 3,500 likes and more than 4,000 shares as of press time.

In the photos, the baby boy is seen holding a black and yellow contraceptive coil.

After delivery, I thought him holding the device was interesting, so I took a picture. I never thought it would receive so much attention,” Dr. Phuong told local media.

Fewer than eight out of 1 000 women fall pregnant over a period of five years using the device and this 34-year-old Vietnamese woman is one of the 0.8% women who conceived while having an IUD implanted. She had inserted the coil two years earlier.

Dr Phuong believes the coil may have been moved from its original position which allowed the mother to become pregnant. The mother had previously given birth to two children. Reportedly, the baby was born weighing 3.2kg and both baby and mother were healthy and kept under observation at the hospital after the birth.

An intrauterine device, also known as intrauterine contraceptive device or coil, is a small, T-shaped birth control device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy for five to 10 years. The coil which is inserted into the uterus releases copper that stops the sperm from fertilizing a woman’s eggs, thereby preventing pregnancy.