Tawana Musvaburi never imagined having a baby at the age of 21. She was living her life partying and having fun with friends until she collapsed and ended up in the hospital. Tawana was shocked to find out that she was pregnant, and she had only four weeks left until the birth.
Tawana learned about her pregnancy when doctors asked her to take a pregnancy test before an MRI scan. She had a contraceptive implant in her arm and had not shown any symptoms of being pregnant, so she was convinced that the test would be negative. However, the test came back negative, and a nurse still believed Tawana might be pregnant and convinced the doctor to let her have an ultrasound. Tawana was overjoyed yet scared when she found out she was pregnant.
Tawana gave birth to River four weeks and four days after finding out she was pregnant. She experienced post-natal depression and struggled to find advice on becoming a young mom at such short notice, so she decided to share her unique experience online. Tawana hopes to generate more support for young mothers who find out they’re pregnant at the last minute. Although Tawana was fortunate enough to have financial help from her mother, she knows that others may not be as lucky and would like a charity to be set up.
A cryptic pregnancy, having a baby without any typical symptoms such as vomiting or having a noticeable bump, is rare. The condition is more common in the black community, according to doctors, who believe that “the baby doesn’t grow outwards, it grows inwards, and we’re more likely to become breech.” There have been studies that show women, especially black women, have poor outcomes in terms of pregnancy and childbirth, and more research needs to be done on the specific issue of cryptic pregnancies, according to Professor Alison Leary.
Reliable Sauce with Kirsty and Jonelle, a podcast, is available to listen to on BBC Sounds. If you need more information and support, you can visit BBC Action Line
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More