A Nigerian woman has opened up about a deeply traumatic chapter in her life, recounting how she neglected to attend medical check-ups during her pregnancy and later discovered at seven months and three weeks that her unborn child had no skull.
The heart-wrenching revelation was shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by user @Emerytarah000, who detailed the painful experience and the lessons she drew from it. According to her, she was too consumed by work and the hustle for survival at the time, which left her unable to make time for antenatal visits.
She explained that she only decided to go for a medical scan when the pregnancy had already reached seven months and three weeks. That was when she was informed of the devastating reality that her unborn baby did not have a skull. She recounted how the Indian doctor who performed the scan struggled to explain the condition in simple terms, telling her: “Madam, baby bad, spend plenty money, liability.”
Recalling the moment, she said she burst into laughter despite the shocking news, then carried herself to Ile Epo General Hospital with the scan results. There, the medical team took charge and carried out the delivery. Unfortunately, the baby survived for only three hours after being born. She revealed that she endured a normal vaginal delivery with full contractions before the child eventually passed away.
Narrating the aftermath, the grieving mother shared that she returned to work the very next day, even while still processing the loss. However, the most traumatic part of her ordeal came when she had to carry the baby’s body for burial. She wrote: “The most traumatic experience of my life was carrying my dead son on my back from Ifako Ijaiye until my mother-in-law took him from me, and then we proceeded to the Agege cemetery.”
She also recalled how difficult it was for her to even reach the hospital in the first place. In her words: “In my search for a car to take me to the hospital, I even walked naked from Aruna to Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital. This strength people see in me today is built on countless hidden tears.”
Opening up further, she revealed that the baby weighed 2.8kg at birth, and despite the abnormalities, she went through the full labor process. She also spoke about her husband’s reaction after the scan result was revealed, saying: “I called him immediately after the scan and all he could say was you know you are in science line, what’s the solution? And I said evacuation. He met me at the hospital immediately. He collected him and did the needful.”
Reflecting on the entire experience, she emphasized the strength and resilience of mothers, writing: “Before you come out to say mothers are nothing, I’m here to tell you mothers are EVERYTHING.”
Her heartbreaking story moved many Nigerians online, who took to the comment section to share words of sympathy, admiration for her strength, and concern for women who lack access to proper antenatal care. Many also described her resilience as inspiring despite the unimaginable pain she went through.
See some reactions below:
@Jokotade_ng: “You’re so strong, jeez. Even the way you casually said it.”
@alltime_funto: “I’m just curious about why they choose vaginal delivery since it’s not even 9 months yet. Sincerely I’m curious. Can you explain why that was the option.”
@Samoxine_: “There’s no reason to go to work the next day even if it’s your company. A little rest is always good to avoid future complications after induced labour. So sorry for that. May God bless you with more healthy, beautiful babies.”
@YoRhage: “That’s deep. You might feel bad about it deeply but you did the right thing. ❤️ and 💡, Strong woman.”
@arulabee: “If you were eligible for confinement leave you should have taken it, it is not safe to return to working normal schedules after childbirth no matter the outcome.”
@eyiteeonline: “Yes, I hold that strong belief that it makes absolutely no sense bringing in a special needs child into the world. People don’t know how miserable the situation is for both the child and the parent.”
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