E-Paper
TN woman dies after childbirth, cops book husband, probe ‘YouTube advice for natural delivery’
The woman had undergone a Caesarean section (C-section) during her first pregnancy and had since developed an aversion to allopathic medicine.
A 32-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur district died due to excessive blood loss after delivering a child at home, with investigators probing whether the family relied on advice from YouTube videos in an attempt to ensure a "natural childbirth" instead of institutional medical care.
The woman, identified as Sasikala, gave birth to a healthy baby but developed post-delivery complications that took her life despite getting medical attention and treatment after her condition worsened.
According to investigators quoted by NDTV, the woman had undergone a Caesarean section (C-section) during her first pregnancy and had since developed an aversion to allopathic medicine. Police suspect that the family wanted to avoid another C-section and instead opted for a natural delivery after following the information available on YouTube.
"The family wanted to give birth in a natural way, and hence they did not follow up with government healthcare teams for periodic check-ups and monitoring. We are investigating," a police officer told NDTV.
Complications after childbirth
The woman reportedly developed some complications related to the placenta after childbirth and suffered severe bleeding. She was rushed to the Government Erode Medical College Hospital at Perundurai, where she was later shifted to a private hospital. That is where she died despite treatment.
The newborn baby is reported to be healthy.
The police have registered a culpable homicide case not amounting to murder against the woman's husband, identified by NDTV as Kolanthaisamy. This is despite the family not lodging a complaint.
The cops have also invoked sections of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act 2019 in connection with the case. So far, nobody has been arrested.
The investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the delivery, including the role of unverified online medical advice and whether any unauthorised persons assisted with the childbirth.
The Tamil Nadu health department has also launched a parallel inquiry into the incident, including whether the family skipped mandatory antenatal check-ups and ignored repeated advice from public health workers.
