Children give birth to children
It is not clear if the 11 year-old who gave birth to a little girl yesterday, Monday (15/12/2014) in Heraklion Crete, has understand what has happened. The first time she went to the doctor it was because her belly swelled. The second time, she gave birth.
By Georgia Linardou
In the society of Roma this is not unusual. Furthermore, researches in our country certify that the majority of Roma women give birth to their first child before reach the 17 years of age! However, the issue of childbearing at a very young age is not only concerns the Roma. The figures from the maternity hospitals are revealing...
The latest information on the case of the 11-year- old pregnant, report that she was seduced by her 14-year old cousin. It is said that the 29-years old mother of the girl filed a lawsuit against him and since then the child disappeared from the village Agies Paraskies where he stayed with his family.
The news may shock the majority of society, but it is an open secret in the camps of Roma where marriages between minors are like a kind of tradition. The procreation from a young age, even from childhood, it is something that a sizable proportion of Roma considers normal.
The research "Roma Alert", which was part of the Program: "European Territorial Greece - Bulgaria 2007-2013", highlights in particular the "childbearing at a very early age and the very low life expectancy." The researchers say: "The customs of Roma lead young people to begin having children from much young age, from puberty. Roma women become mothers very young and have more pregnancies, births and abortions than other people, which is something that burdens their health, because they are rarely monitored during pregnancy. Moreover young people do not have access to information on family planning, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, prevention, etc. Also, it was recorded low degree of awareness of their needs, as well as low level of knowledge of the proper use of institutional health services. These weaknesses exacerbated by the partial knowledge of the language, which creates understanding problems with the health care givers."
The associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, in Alexandio TEI of Thessaloniki, M. Moraitou, in another study says: "The Roma women begin to bear many children from a very young age, most are not monitored or not systematically monitored during their pregnancy and some of them give birth in the camps. Many mothers (11.6%) report that have lost at least one child, below the 3 years of age".
24.8% of young Roma give birth in the camps. One in four girls is not monitored during pregnancy, with many risks for their own health and also for the babies.
The news with the 11-year-old girl in Crete shocked many people. Last fall was broadcasted a TV report about the marriage of a 12-year old girl, who was already three months pregnant. The girl got engaged when she was 9 years old! In that show, the mother in law of the girl showed the "bloodied sheet" in the camera with pride for the accomplishments of her son, who was the cousin of the little girl.
A few years ago, Ch. Skourfountas and M. Kourtis from Obstetrics-Gynecology Hospital of Pyrgos, had conducted a large research on teenage pregnancy, with the following interesting results: The majority of adolescents aged 13-19 years, that proceeded in childbirth in 2001-2008, were Greeks (43%), 34% Roma and 23% foreign.
Subsequent figures from the Maternity Hospital Alexandra reveal that: Roma women do not proceed to abortions; instead Greek women under 18 years, do. In adolescence, only 9% of Greek women give birth, and half of these births are undesirable. The other 21% of births (always referring to minors) comes from foreign young.
The 11 year-old girl who became mother will be examined by a psychiatrist
Intervention of Justice on the issue of the 11-year old girl in Crete, who became a mother: the competent Prosecutor calls for examination by a psychiatrist to determine her condition.
According to cretalive, a research is conducted by the competent social services while at the same time the 29-years old "grandmother" has already asked to take custody of the newborn infant, claiming that she can take care of it, together with her daughter and her youngest child.
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