Girl, 11, will be Britain's youngest mother

[Stella]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=385968&in_page_id=1774&in_a_source=&ct=5

This story is just pure sadness... her mother is no better either (see quote ).


Interesting quotes:

"She told the Sun: "I didn't think I'd get pregnant because it was my first time. But I'm really excited and looking forward to being a mum."
--

"The girl, who has shoulder-length dark hair, began smoking at nine and started drinking tonic wine and vodka cocktails at ten. She claimed her cigarette habit was not harming the health of her unborn child.

She said: "I can give up smoking at any time, but I don't find it affects my pregnancy."

--

"Her mum said: "I'm not ashamed of my daughter at all - in fact, I'm proud of her for keeping the baby."

[Glenn Wolsey]

I just cant believe an 11 year old........doing..umm, that...

This story is sick and sad.

[janey]

Ugh! Can't like, child and family services/social services/whatever they're called in the UK do something about that? That's clearly abuse...cigarette smoking (20?!) + alcohol is never good for a fetus...ugh. I question whether or not she will have a baby at all, let alone a healthy one.

[ReanimationLP]

Ugh! Can't like, child and family services/social services/whatever they're called in the UK do something about that? That's clearly abuse...cigarette smoking (20?!) + alcohol is never good for a fetus...ugh. I question whether or not she will have a baby at all, let alone a healthy one.

Seconded!

This one goes under the WHAT THE ******* WERE THEY THINKING? category. >.>

[Jaffa Cake]

She's still got time to get another couple before she's 16. Benefit-tastic. :rolleyes:

It's a very sad story. At eleven/twelve her body is still going to be developing, which I wouldn't think would help with the pregnancy at all. Coupled with the drink and cigs you've got to worry about the health of her child.

[UKnjb]

I think that we (UK) have one of the highest rates of teenage (and in this case, not even teen) pregnancies in the world. For unknown reasons. This particular case is so very sad indeed, though, and reflects so badly on so many things. Reading the Daily Mail link, I saw that she had beaten the previous record by only wee while for the youngest pregnancy here.

Her 'boy friend' - surely a playmate at that age? - is 15 and is being charged with statutory rape.

Not sure that any of the standard methods of dealing with sex-related incidents would have any effect here. Her mother (34!) beggars belief with her obvious lack of care and outlook. Poor girl, poor baby.

When I was doing a project on neonatal vascular development a few years ago, a girl had arrived in the hospital for an abortion. She was 13, came from a VERY well-to-do family, and her history was so similar to the current girl's. She was pregnant because, although she usually used contraception :eek: , in this instance she had been too drunk at an all-night party to bother and -- voila! Nobody seemed to think it too abnormal. :(

I don't know what we're doing here, but it is all very depressing.

[miniConvert]

Either children are maturing faster these days, perhaps due to environmental, social or dietry issues, or they simply don't want to be children sooner.

The girl in question certainly doesn't sound anything like mature, so I'm going to put her in the 'doesn't want to be a child' camp. While I'd imagine, and perhaps rightfully, there's little that can be done with regard to what she drinks/smokes while she's pregnant, I think there has clearly been a breakdown in parental responsibility.

If only children could see into their future and realise there's no rush. I had a good childhood, but if I had been given more insight I definitely would have enjoyed those years even more! I think that's what makes me the saddest.

[miloblithe]

I think that we (UK) have one of the highest rates of teenage (and in this case, not even teen) pregnancies in the world. For unknown reasons....

http://www.statcan.ca/english/kits/preg/preg3d.htm

Here are seven countries with higher rates: US, Bulgaria, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, New Zealand.

Not to mention India, Pakistan, probably every country in Africa...

Further, those statistics underestimate the prevalence in the US because they are measured as proportion of total births, but the birthrate in the US is higher than most European countries.

[Queso]

The Mail makes a big thing about her drinking and smoking (both also illegal at that age) during her pregnancy, although whether this is an attempt to conform her to the image of scum remains to be seen. It can't be denied though that there is an underclass in this country for whom getting pregnant at the earliest age represents the pinnacle of achievement. What is wrong with our culture that causes such a lack of ambition amongst young women/girls?

You can't even call this family Chavs. The Chavs are aspirational in comparison.

[miniConvert]

The Mail makes a big thing about her drinking and smoking (both also illegal at that age)
Isn't it just the purchasing of both that is illegal at that age? But yes, I get the sentiment. A baby and a council flat is classed as aspirational these days.

[edesignuk]

Her 'boy friend' - surely a playmate at that age? - is 15 and is being charged with statutory rape.WTF?? How can he be charged for raping her when he is under age him self? :confused:

[takao]

http://www.statcan.ca/english/kits/preg/preg3d.htm

Further, those statistics underestimate the prevalence in the US because they are measured as proportion of total births, but the birthrate in the US is higher than most European countries.

hmm but 5 times as high ;)


that aside i remember that i think 8 years or so ago there were a case of a 12 year old in Austria too


personally i know one girl who got pregnant around 17 after she dropped out school but that's it ...

[mactastic]

Wha'ever! Wha'ever! I do what I want!

[Queso]

Am I bovvered?

[jsw]

My wife works in Labor & Delivery. Not too long ago, the mother was not yet 26.

The mother of the girl giving birth, that is.

It's just tragic, and there are things we can do as a society to greatly reduce it, but we don't. :(

[UKnjb]

WTF?? How can he be charged for raping her when he is under age him self? :confused:

Yup - read all abaht it 'ere (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/4764417.stm).

A 15-year-old boy is being prosecuted in connection with the case of a girl who fell pregnant at the age of 11.
~snip~
The teenage boy is due to appear in court in July charged with rape because of the age of the girl, who is now 12.

[kretzy]

WTF?? How can he be charged for raping her when he is under age him self? :confused:
I'm not sure of the laws in the UK, but here, if there is an age gap of more than two years, which in this case there was, the older person involved can be prosecuted.

[IanF0729]

As opposed to disgust that I think I should feel, I really just feel sorry for the poor girl. :(

[killuminati]

Obviously I am disgusted for all the mentioned reasons but no ones mentioned this, Why is a 15 year old having sex with an 11 year old! That's just sick. That's just so incredibly disturbing. She's not even in highschool!

[OnceUGoMac]

Heh. This happens all the time in Chicago. Hell, it happens everywhere, doesn't it? :confused: A sexually active kid with baby-making equipment, it doesn't surprise me in the least.

[Leareth]

Ok this is just sick on so many levels
nevemind the future of the "mother" what about the messed up baby?
if it even survives... 11 year olds breeding ...argh...so many lives needlessly messed up :mad:

as for the 15 year old "boyfriend", yeah charge him with rape, i believe the youngest age you can give consent for sex is 12 ( 14 in canada) so it is technically and realistically rape. not to mention the fact that they were both drunk and he probably took advantage of the situation :mad: