NEW DELHI: At an age when many women are busy caring for their grandchildren, a 55-year-old from Rajasthan’s Udaipur district has just welcomed her 17th child.
The birth at the Community Health Centre in Jhadol block has turned Lilavas village into a talking point. Relatives, neighbours and villagers crowded the hospital to see Rekha, amused at the unusual sight of grandchildren greeting their new baby aunt, PTI reported.
Rekha, married to scrap dealer Kavara Ram Kalbelia, has given birth 17 times over the years. Five of those children – four sons and one daughter – died soon after birth, leaving the couple with 12 surviving kids: seven boys and five girls.
Their household spans three generations under one roof. "Two of my sons and three of my daughters are married. Each of them has two or three children," Kavara said, his voice carrying both pride and weariness.
This means while Rekha tends to her newborn, she is simultaneously grandmother to several toddlers.
Behind the curiosity, however, lies hardship. Kavara makes a meagre living by selling scrap and admits to taking high-interest loans to pay for his children’s weddings. “No member of the family has ever gone to school,” he said, highlighting how poverty continues to dominate their lives.
Doctors at the Jhadol centre described the delivery as a challenge. Rekha initially told them it was only her fourth pregnancy. Block CMHO Dr Dharmendra noted that the case reflects the difficulties in tribal-dominated areas, where lack of education and awareness often fuel such situations.
“This is a nomadic family that keeps moving. Eleven surviving children were found with them. We will work to link them with government schemes and provide support,” he said.
Gynaecologist Dr. Roshan Darangi, who handled the delivery, confirmed the truth later: “It turned out to be her 17th childbirth. Now, we will counsel her for sterilisation.”
Another doctor, Mukesh Garasiya, added that Rekha had been admitted on August 24 without sonography or pre-delivery tests. “She could have died from excessive bleeding. With so many deliveries, the uterus weakens and the risk of haemorrhage rises. Thankfully, this time, everything went smoothly,” he explained.
The birth at the Community Health Centre in Jhadol block has turned Lilavas village into a talking point. Relatives, neighbours and villagers crowded the hospital to see Rekha, amused at the unusual sight of grandchildren greeting their new baby aunt, PTI reported.
Rekha, married to scrap dealer Kavara Ram Kalbelia, has given birth 17 times over the years. Five of those children – four sons and one daughter – died soon after birth, leaving the couple with 12 surviving kids: seven boys and five girls.
Their household spans three generations under one roof. "Two of my sons and three of my daughters are married. Each of them has two or three children," Kavara said, his voice carrying both pride and weariness.
This means while Rekha tends to her newborn, she is simultaneously grandmother to several toddlers.
Behind the curiosity, however, lies hardship. Kavara makes a meagre living by selling scrap and admits to taking high-interest loans to pay for his children’s weddings. “No member of the family has ever gone to school,” he said, highlighting how poverty continues to dominate their lives.
Doctors at the Jhadol centre described the delivery as a challenge. Rekha initially told them it was only her fourth pregnancy. Block CMHO Dr Dharmendra noted that the case reflects the difficulties in tribal-dominated areas, where lack of education and awareness often fuel such situations.
“This is a nomadic family that keeps moving. Eleven surviving children were found with them. We will work to link them with government schemes and provide support,” he said.
Gynaecologist Dr. Roshan Darangi, who handled the delivery, confirmed the truth later: “It turned out to be her 17th childbirth. Now, we will counsel her for sterilisation.”
Another doctor, Mukesh Garasiya, added that Rekha had been admitted on August 24 without sonography or pre-delivery tests. “She could have died from excessive bleeding. With so many deliveries, the uterus weakens and the risk of haemorrhage rises. Thankfully, this time, everything went smoothly,” he explained.
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