Forced To Opt For Home Birth By Husband, Kerala Woman Dies During Childbirth

In a heartbreaking incident, a pregnant woman from Thiruvananthapuram died of excessive bleeding after choosing for home birth. The baby too didn't survive during delivery. She was identified as Shameera Beevi, 36, and was a resident of Palakkad. Reportedly, her husband Nayas didn't let her go to the hospital for the birth and rather insisted on home birth and acupuncture treatment through YouTube videos. The Police have arrested Nayas in the case of manslaughter. The incident happened on Tuesday evening at Thirumangalam Lane near Pazhaya Karakkamandapam in Nemom. 

As per the reports, Shihab of Venjarammoodu, who runs a clinic in Beema Palli, was treating Shameera. The police revealed that Shameera's husband Nayas refused to take her to the hospital even after the health workers asked him to. Nayas and Shameera already have three children and this was Shameera's fourth pregnancy. The first three pregnancies were delivered through C--section and it was just a year when she conceived the fourth child. This time, Nayas decided that he wouldn't take Shameera to the hospital for delivery. 

The woman was his second wife and was accompanied by his first wife and her daughter during childbirth. The daughter is reported to have studied acupuncture and was also present during the home birth. 

The police have registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation into everyone present at the time of Shameera's death. 

Health workers and neighbours advised Nayas to take his wife to the hospital

As per the reports, when the health workers advised Nayas to take Shameera to the hospital, he allegedly misbehaved with them. Moreover, the neighbours and other residents also tried to convince him to take Shameera to the hospital. However, reports suggest that the couple lived in a rented house and had no contact with the neighbours. 

When Shameera fell unconscious due to excessive bleeding, the people in the neighbourhood rushed her to the private hospital in Karamana. But the doctors said that the mother and the child died hours ago. Later, the police intervened, sealed the rented house and booked Nayas for manslaughter. 

Ward councillor's statement against Nayas

Ward councillor Deepika made several allegations against Nayas. She said that despite her repeated warnings about the health condition of Shameera, Nayas didn't pay any heed and insisted on conducting normal delivery through YouTube videos. 

"It's been a year since they moved into my ward. It was only in January that I found out a pregnant woman was residing in the area. Though we reached out to them, they did not allow us to enter the house. Nayas also refused to disclose any details of Shameera. When we asked him whether she went to the hospital for examination, he said yes and nothing else," Deepika said. 

She also added that when she spoke to Shameera after a lot of insistence, she came to know that it had been only a year since she delivered a child through C-section. "A normal delivery in this situation was out of the question. Even on the phone, Shameera was afraid to speak. She was under complete control of her husband," Deepika said. 

Deepika again tried to convince Nayas by referring to her own experience. She told him that she had two C-section deliveries and it was imperative for Shameera to go to the hospital. But Nayas didn't budge. He didn't even let her inside the house. 

Later, when Deepika tried to get into Nayas' house with a doctor from the District Medical Office, he shifted his children to his first wife's house, leaving Shameera alone. 

Is giving birth to a child a joke? How can one be dependent on YouTube videos for the most complicated and painful medical process? Are women machines who just produce kids and have no life of their own? If paying hospital bills is too hard on the pocket or taking care of pregnant women seems unnecessary, consider not making women pregnant.