Uncle Doctor has news and events that he wants every woman to know what is best if we need to make a choice. The important thing is to ensure that we have enough knowledge to make a decision. Are you ready to make that decision?
On June 2, 2016, in Kamphaeng Phet Province, a newborn’s body was found discarded in a canal. The police arrested a 17-year-old high school student who was pregnant and broke up with her boyfriend but hid it from her guardians. She later gave birth at home and thought the baby had died. The police are currently awaiting autopsy results to charge her with killing her child.
On July 9, 2016, in Nakhon Phanom Province, a newborn’s body, about 1-2 days old, was found in a bag, wet. It is assumed that it was an unwanted pregnancy, and after birth, the baby could not be cared for, leading to drowning.
On July 20, 2016, in Chiang Rai Province, near the provincial hall, a female infant about 4 months old was found wrapped in a diaper on the ground. It is believed that the person who left her did not want to care for her but did not dare to harm the child. Authorities will continue to search for the child’s parents.
In these cases, if it is necessary to continue the pregnancy until birth, the solution might be to consult the unplanned pregnancy hotline at 1663 before giving birth. This could reduce the severe impacts that make the news, and there will be step-by-step assistance. For example, in cases of 6-7 months or 26 weeks of pregnancy, where termination is no longer possible, but the person does not want to continue the pregnancy, feels troubled, or finds it difficult to decide, and does not know which way to choose, calling 1663 will provide advice and coordination with network agencies for further assistance. Those facing problems should not be afraid; there will be no condemnation or stigmatization from those handling the matter. Uncle Doctor believes in forgiveness. Call without hesitation.
However, it’s not just about situations where the pregnancy continues to birth and then abandonment occurs. There are also cases of abortion, such as:
On June 19, 2016, in Bueng Kan Province, police were notified of a 5-month-old fetus found in a roadside thicket, with red ants biting the body. The cause was determined to be the mother having an abortion and leaving the child there.
On July 23, 2016, in Bangkok, near a bus depot, a fetus about 4-5 months old was found in a toilet on a Bangkok-Chiang Rai bus. It is suspected to be a passenger who had an abortion before boarding and then experienced prolonged abdominal pain in the bathroom, leading to the abortion being left there and the person fleeing. Police are searching for the individual to prosecute.
Uncle Doctor is concerned about women who have abortions, fearing severe bleeding and infection. The solution after an abortion is to quickly get a medical check-up to see if any placenta remains. But if you realize you are not ready for pregnancy, call the hotline 1663 from 7 days after a missed period for safety and to reduce danger by up to 10 times. The hotline 1663 will coordinate with doctors or provide further advice. If you don’t want to be pregnant in the first place, it can be done, as in the example:
- A grandmother brought her 13-year-old granddaughter for consultation because she had a boyfriend and had sexual intercourse, fearing pregnancy. The staff provided advice until the teenager agreed to use a 3-year implant contraceptive method. However, when the anesthetic was administered, and the implant was about to be inserted, the child was afraid of pain and refused, so it was changed to a 3-month contraceptive injection instead. Uncle Doctor thinksthis grandmother and granddaughterare quite modern, aren’t they?
Another case:
- A second-year female student came with her boyfriend, who was also a student. She was worried about being pregnant. The issue was that she helped the male partner achieve orgasm and then touched her genitals with a hand that had dried semen, but there was no insertion of the male organ into the vagina because she feared pregnancy and thought no contraceptive method is 100% effective, and she was still studying.
As for being a young mother, a 15-year-old girl shared her experience, saying that the first young girl had a lovely daughter, but life was difficult. Her life was not bright at all because she was still young. She got pregnant unintentionally, but if she could choose, she would not want to have a child because she is not studying, has no home to live in. Another 15-year-old mother said that when she found out she was pregnant, she cried, and her life changed drastically because having a child deprived her of her childhood, she couldn’t have fun with friends, and her boyfriend left her and the child. Both teenage mothers felt miserable, depressed, and had to leave school. Being a mother at a young age had a significant impact on their mental state, making them fear pregnancy. Now they know how to prevent pregnancy and are determined not to let such an event happen again.
From the latest survey data, it was found that teenagers aged 15-19 years decide between giving birth or having an abortion, with teenagers choosing abortion in America 30%, England 43%, Sweden 77%, and Finland 59%.
As for the future impact on teenage mothers who choose abortion, data from July 20, 2016, found that “teenage mothers who choose to terminate their pregnancy have higher education and better economic status by the age of 25” compared to teenagers who continue the pregnancy and give birth, as reported by Reuters, citing research by Oskari Heikinheimo from the University of Helsinki, Finland.
However, a thought Uncle Doctor heard from women who improved their lives on their own is:
“We determine our destiny. We have choices. We can choose to go left or right. Whether we encounter good or bad things, we must strive to overcome them, and we have a family that helps us move forward.” Becauseunplanned pregnancy is a difficult and complex issue. Women facing thissociety should understand, give opportunitiesand help provide guaranteesso that she can have a good future in education, careeruntil she canbe self-reliant
With love and care,
Dr. Ruangkit Sirikanchanakul, RSA Volunteer Network Coordinator