55-year-old Rekha Galbelia from a tribal settlement near Rajasthan's Udaipur gave birth to her 17th child this Tuesday at the Community Health Centre in Jhadol.
As per media reports, residents of Lilavas village, Rekha and Kavara, have had a total of 17 children over the years. Of these, five, four boys and one girl, died shortly after birth.
The couple now have 12 surviving children: seven sons and five daughters, but Rekha's latest delivery has drawn attention, not only because of her age or the number of children she's had, but because of the immense poverty and hardship the family continues to endure.
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Rekha's family faces financial hardships
The family lives hand-to-mouth, collecting and selling scrap to survive. They don't have a home where everyone can fit in, and their combined earnings are not enough, TOI reported, quoting the officials.
Rekha's husband, Kavra Kalbeliya, said that he had to borrow money at 20% interest just to feed the family.
Her daughter, Shila Kalbeliya, also talked about the family's struggles. "We all had to face a lot of difficulties. Everyone is shocked to hear that our mother has so many children," she said.
The health risks
Rekha's multiple pregnancies and deliveries caused the health department to flag high fertility rates among residents of tribal villages in southern Rajasthan as the primary challenge in population control.
The health department said, besides socio-economic challenges, multiple pregnancies among tribal women of the region were worsening maternal and neonatal health risks, the publication reported.
Roshan Darangi, a gynaecologist at the Jhadol Community Health Centre, who also assisted in Rekha's delivery, said the family initially misrepresented the patient's medical history.
"When Rekha was admitted, the family told us this was her fourth child. Later, it was revealed that this was her 17th child," he said.