First Published : 29 Nov 2009 04:17:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 29 Nov 2009 09:19:21 AM IST
BALASORE: A Rare baby born in Betanoti hospital, about 25 km from here, is drawing people from far and wide. This baby has both male and female sex organs – one above another. This baby was born to Ishwar Chandra Mahanta and Ahalya Mahanta of Nandasola village in Mayurbhanj district on November 22.
“When the child was born we first thought it was a male baby. But after minutes we found both male and female sex organs,” said Ahalya. According to her, both the sex organs of the baby are active as the baby is urinating in both the organs. This was second baby of the couple after they had a daughter earlier. Hospital sources said Ahalya had a normal delivery and the baby responded like normal babies.“There was absolutely no complication during delivery. The baby was nearly 2.5 kg at birth. The baby is now taking milk like other newborns,” said Dilip Kumar Kar, paediatric specialist at the hospital. Doctors say it is a rare case and need proper medical examination. “It is called intersex (congenital anomaly of the reproductive and sexual system) baby,” said gynaecologist S N Sahu. “In general, intersex conditions neither cause the person to feel sick nor s/he feels pain. However, some intersex conditions are associated with serious health issues which need to be treated medically,” he said.People visiting the baby are taken aback. “We had never seen such a rare baby, neither had we heard of that earlier,” said Jyotshnarani Behera, a local resident. Meanwhile, the doctors have advised the parents to go for a surgery of the baby.“An ultra-sound conducted on the baby indicated that it has the uterus. But the vaginal hole is not open. The baby will be a female one after the extra genital part is operated on. We have advised the couple to consult doctors at SCB Medical, Cuttack,” said Dr Kar. The Mahanta family is worried because it has no money for the surgery.“I run a make-shift small betel shop. I can’t arrange money for the operation. If anyone comes forward to help, it will be a great help,” said Ishwar.
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hi i was really touched by this article,being a chimeric hermaphrodite myself,please dont have surgery as i had too under a western culture,maybe ur babys a chimeric which means its a twin child who emerged toghther so might have 2 cell lines could be very dangerous for ur babys health to operate,ur baby is beautiful leave ur baby to decide later GOD BLESS U wendy.
ReplyDeleteyell, this is one of a few situations where poverty is possitive. they have no money to get their baby mutilated so the child won't have to be traumatised for the rest of his/hers/hirs life.
ReplyDeletehi i agree with kirans comments,but sadly i can see such shame upon this beautiful babies parents faces,they will accept some butcher to mutilate there beautiful baby,for what so they can say look how humane we are we have created a girl,what if this baby wants to be a boy,surgeons stop playeing God,leave babies alone let them decide later on.
ReplyDeleteGive the child a choice... wait till the child is old enough to decide.
ReplyDeleteKyDub
Why does the child have to decide? Let it be neither if it wants to be.
ReplyDeleteShame on people who ridicule others based on what they know little to nothing about. First off no one knows if this child is a boy are girl secound off it is a beautiful child. Let him/her develop naturally. Were you born as a male / female just to get changed to something else? No. Then why is it any different for the baby? You can not decide it's sex. Thank of how you well make your child fill. You do not want him/her to hate you. Do the right thing and leave it alone. Anyone reading this should not put out his /her money to mutilate the child. Just love your babie.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada it is mandated that no SRS or reparative surgery is to be done on intersex babies without the concent of the patient/baby. Please don't do any surgery unless you have the permition of the baby in question. My penis was stolen by the doctor. I'm now forced to pretend to be a women very much against my will.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that all the comments on this are along the same lines. It makes me sick in the pit of my stomach when I think about this case. I wish I knew the outcome of this story, but I sure hope that they didn't get the surgery. At least forgo the surgery, explain to the child that their genitals are different than most people's, and if it's too much to ask to call them by "they" at least call them she or he for their early life rather than ruining their genitals simply to conform them to the norm. I can't stop thinking about how difficult this person's life may be later on, for many reasons. What if they did not have a fully formed clitoris? Would they be resigned to a life without sexual pleasure? And of course the obvious, what if they identify as male? Or possibly even neither/both/somewhere in between? It's a shame society is so unaccepting of and confused about transgendered individuals.
ReplyDelete