10-year-old girl gives birth to baby daughter in Colombia

Primer Impacto

(CBS News) A 10-year-old girl from Colombia gave birth to a baby girl via cesarean section, Univision's Primer Impacto, reported. The girl hails from an indigenous tribe in the town of Manaure, a town in the Colombian Department of La Guajira.

PICTURES: Surprise! 12 unexpected deliveries in odd places

The girl arrived at the hospital crying in "enormous pain" from her contractions. Despite her young age, police may not prosecute the matter since the girl is from the indigenous Wayuu tribe, which is allowed to govern itself, according to the The Telegraph.

"We've already seen similar cases of wayuu girls," Efrain Pacheco Casadiego the director of the hospital where the girl gave birth, told a Colombian radio station. "At a time when (the girls) should be playing with dolls, they go to having to take care of a baby. It's shocking."

Pregnant mothers this young could face major risks, according to doctors. They face a higher risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension (high blood pressure) or a dangerous condition called preeclampsia, in which a mom-to-be with high blood pressure also has protein in their urine, which causes sudden weight gain and swelling of the hands and face, WebMD reported.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, they could also face long-term risk for problems with school failure, poverty, and mental illness such as depression.

Univision reported that doctors delivered a healthy 5-pound, 5-ounce baby girl. The mother and child are still being observed at the hospital. The father's age is unknown.

"These girls are not ready to be pregnant. Their bodies are not mature," Dr. Frederick Gonzalez, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center, told ABC News. "They may be able to get pregnant, but being able to have a baby is a whole other situation."

According to The Telegraph, the youngest mother in the world was named Linda Medina, who gave birth in Peru in 1933 when she was only 5 years old. Medina, who is now 78, had a son named Geraldo who died in 1979 at age 40 from bone marrow disease.

Here is the original report from Univision's Primer Impacto:

13 Photos

Surprise! 12 unexpected deliveries in odd places

[MISSMOO2]

My father's favorite (and oldest) sister died of pre-eclampsia. She was carrying her 4th child. She had a stroke and she and the baby died. She was 38. I realize a 10-year-old could have this condition, too, but my aunt was an experienced mother who also had this disease. It's a disease of pregnancy not just of age. Mrs. Duggar, in carrying baby #19 (Josie) also developed pre-eclampsia and her blood pressure shot up to 200+ She had to have a C-section and Josie was delivered at 25 weeks. Today she's a happy healthy 2-year-old. So pre-eclampsia, though very dangerous and life-threatening, can be treated and you don't need to kill the baby.

[MISSMOO2]

While I certainly don't condone 10-year-old girls having babies, I'm pleased this new life wasn't snuffed out. Apparently, this is a a 'tribal thing,' hence of a lack of prosecution. Not too long ago, a 12-year-old was pregnant with twins and some ****** suggested an abortion. 2 babies murdered because their mother was a child. This new baby could be given up for adoption as could the twins I just mentioned. Our society seems to think it's easier to murder a growingn child than to keep it - and the young mother - alive. And I don't want to hear a ton of excuses about why it would have been "justified" to abort this bab. Obviously the baby and the mother survived. And whether you have an abortion because of rape, incest, youth, poverty, "inconvenience" or "choice," the fact remains you still are TAKING A LIFE. And it doesn't matter whether that life was "viable"; it still has a beating heart, a brain that works and other organs that are thriving and functioning. I hope this young, young mother will be alright and I hope the baby goes to a good home --- NOT hers (she really is too young).

[KSYonline]

This is an outrage, children should stay children. I wrote a similar story:http://www.ksyonline.com/2012/03/youngest-mother-and-grandmother.html

[LunaAzule]

I don't care if their part of the Pluto tribe, child abuse is child abuse and this child's mother should have done some serious machete action on that perv's favorite body part before it came to this.

[magnumdr]

10 years old! Sombody must be a real proud new daddy? If this would have happened to my daughter at 10, somebody would be hanging from a tree somewhere.

[WhiskeyAndBeer]

Buckyo, I think you are confusing South America as in the South American continent, with South America, as in the Southern United States of America...

[rwsmith29456]

Do the Wayuu's themselves consider this a crime, or even just improper?

[LW_M1]

Plain and simple, this is a violent act of rape & child endangerment. Indiginous people should not be above the law. The man/men involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These men are child abusers who exploit children. This poor little girl must now care for in infant when she herself is only a CHILD!!!!

Kovacsmaster your probably the father or a pervert nonetheless!!!!