The youngest-ever mom to have a baby in the United Kingdom is now thought to be 11 years old.
The Sun reports that the child discovered she was pregnant when she was 10, and that her family didn’t know she was pregnant. “It has come as a big shock,” an insider who knows the family told the outlet.
The girl was over 30 weeks along when she gave birth, and both she and the baby are healthy. “She’s now being surrounded by expert help. The main thing is that she and the baby are OK,” the insider added. “There are questions around why people did not know. That is very worrying.”
Social services have opened an investigation into her pregnancy. Dr. Carol Cooper told the outlet, “This is the youngest mother I’ve heard of.” She explained that while a girl can reach puberty anytime between eight and 14 years old, the average age is 11.
“Weight affects many hormones. Because children are heavier, puberty is happening earlier these days.” She continued, “There’s a higher risk of a low-birthweight baby, pre-eclampsia, premature labor, and many infections.”
Previously, the youngest mother to give birth in the U.K. was Tressa Middleton, who delivered her baby in 2006 at 12 years old. A few years later, in 2014, a 12-year-old mother and 13-year-old father gave birth to a child, becoming the youngest set of parents in the UK.
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