Woman Dies After Family Members Try Delivery Using YouTube Videos In Tamil Nadu

Based on a complaint filed by the Block Medical Officer of Kunnathur, Uthukuli Police have registered a case against Kolandasamy under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Shashikala delivered a baby girl at home, and initially everything appeared to be normal.

Source : ABP News

A 32-year-old woman died in Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur district after her family allegedly attempted to conduct a home delivery by following YouTube videos on natural childbirth, highlighting the dangers of carrying out complex medical procedures without professional supervision.

The deceased, identified as Shashikala, was a resident of Punjai Thalavaipalayam village in Uthukuli taluk of Tiruppur district. According to police, she went into labour on the morning of June 24. Instead of taking her to a hospital, her husband, Kolandasamy, and mother-in-law decided to conduct the delivery at home after watching videos on the internet and YouTube related to natural childbirth.

Shashikala delivered a baby girl at home, and initially everything appeared to be normal. However, after childbirth, the placenta failed to detach and come out of the body, leading to severe postpartum haemorrhage (excessive bleeding after delivery).

As her condition deteriorated, the family rushed her to the Government Erode Medical College Hospital in Perundurai. She was later shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore on June 25. Despite undergoing treatment for several days, her condition did not improve, and she died on the morning of June 28.

The investigation revealed that Shashikala and her husband had planned in advance to opt for a home-based natural delivery. According to family members, Shashikala had undergone a Caesarean section during the birth of her first daughter in 2020. She reportedly suffered prolonged health complications and psychological trauma after the surgery, prompting the couple to choose natural childbirth at home for their second child instead of delivering in a hospital.

Medical experts, however, stress that natural childbirth is considered safe only when carried out under the supervision of trained doctors, nurses, or certified midwives. Attempting a home delivery without medical assistance can pose a serious risk to both the mother and the baby.

Based on a complaint filed by the Block Medical Officer of Kunnathur, Uthukuli Police have registered a case against Kolandasamy under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. However, the deceased woman's family has declined to file a separate complaint.