UP: Newborn dies after forced delivery attempt in ambulance

New Delhi: In a tragic incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district, a seven-month pregnant woman underwent a delivery attempt inside an ambulance, resulting in the death of her unborn child under horrifying circumstances.

According to the news reports, the pregnant woman, a resident of the Kudraha area, went into premature labor while being transported in an ambulance to a Community Health Centre. Her husband stated that the situation worsened rapidly when her labor pains intensified just before reaching the hospital. 

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Instead of awaiting trained medical intervention at a facility, an ASHA worker present in the ambulance allegedly administered a painkiller injection and attempted to assist a delivery. What followed was a catastrophic complication; the baby’s body was delivered partially, while the head remained inside the mother’s womb.

Realising the severity of the condition, the healthcare workers panicked and immediately rushed the woman to a nearby private hospital.

Doctors there, citing the complexity and risk involved, referred her to the District Medical College in Kaili. Medical examinations, including an ultrasound, confirmed the grim reality. Surgeons immediately carried out an emergency procedure to remove the baby’s head from the mother’s womb. Speaking to NDTV, a doctor said, "We operated on a priority basis and removed the head. Currently, the woman is safe and is undergoing treatment."

A formal complaint has been lodged against the ASHA worker and others present in the ambulance at the time of the incident. However, as of now, administrative action against those accused remains pending.

This incident has reignited debate over the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare in rural Uttar Pradesh. According to News X, Health experts have stated that true specialists, doctors must perform complex births and have access to at least basic facilities under hospitals. Yet many rural communities within Uttar Pradesh continue to perform unsafe complex deliveries, exposing mothers and infants to danger.

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