Yesterday CNN featured a story about Xochitl Parra, a 17-year-old girl who not only hid her pregnancy from her family but gave birth at home and walked to the hospital with the baby still attached by the umbilical cord and placenta.
While recent movies like "Juno" make teen pregnancy seem relatively easy with an accepting family and guilt-free adoption, Parra's story - though extreme - reflects the reality many teen mothers-to-be face.
Parra said she hid her pregnancy out of fear of being kicked out of her house, and walked - even jogged - to the hospital because she didn't have a working phone to call 911 and didn't want to bother her neighbors.
Her story is a perfect example of why we need to improve sex education in high school classes and get rid of silly "abstinence only" education programs.
Maybe if Parra knew more about how to obtain birth control pills and condoms and how to take care of her pregnant body, she would not have had to give birth squatting in a shower, where she could have bled to death.
According to the story, Parra's family is accepting of her new son, Alejandro, and will help take care of him while she finishes high school, so the deception probably was not even necessary in the first place. Although one can only wonder how a girl nine months pregnant with what would be an 8-pound, 3-ounce child goes about successfully concealing her maternity.
2008 Woodie Awards
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Bailey
posted 5/08/08 @ 11:29 PM EST
I'm looking for the interview I saw on CNN On Tuesday. They were talking to a nurse and someone else from the hospital. I want to see it again, because in listening to the mother talk, it doesn't seem like she's able to take care of herself, much less complete a full sentence. (Continued…)
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