[Faline]

A girl in Spain has become one of the world's youngest mothers after giving birth at age ten.
She had a child weighing 6lb 6oz during a natural birth last week at a hospital in Jerez de la Frontera, in the southern region of Andalusia.
Both mother and baby have been allowed out of hospital and are in perfect health, but social services are studying the case.

Local media said the girl is a Romanian immigrant who arrived in Spain already pregnant.
The girl's mother told hospital staff she was happy about the birth, which she described as ‘something common in my country.’

Micaela Navarro, the Andalusia region's social affairs minister, said they only became aware of the case from hospital staff three days after the birth.
She said: ‘The important thing is that both mother and baby are cared for perfectly.

‘If that is the case, they can remain in the family environment, which is what we are checking at the moment.’

If not, the young mother and her child could be looked after by a grandparent or aunt or uncle, she said.

Navarro told reporters the father of the baby is also a minor, and both the mother and the baby were in good health.

Her department declined to give details, including the sex of the baby, but said authorities do not consider this a case of rape and that no criminal investigation is under way.

Under Spanish law, having consensual sex with someone under age 13 is classified as child abuse, an official with the Spanish Justice Ministry in
Madrid said.

But this particular case is complicated by the fact that the father of the baby is also a minor and it is not clear if he could be charged, the official said.
The girl gave birth in Jerez Hospital on October 26 and was allowed home over the weekend.

A hospital source said: ‘The girl's mother told us the girl lived with her boyfriend in her home country.

‘There are girls who can appear older than they are, but in this case the girl is just that: a girl.’

Britain's youngest mother, Tressa Middleton, from Armadale, West Lothian, gave birth aged 12 in 2006.

Medical experts warn that because young girls are still growing, they are at higher risk during pregnancy.

Studies have shown that teenage girls are more likely to give birth to premature babies and their infants have a higher chance of dying by the age of one.

The World Health Authority says that in low and middle-income countries, almost 10 per cent of girls become mothers by age 16, and that girls aged 10-19 account for 11 per cent of all births worldwide.

[Pigeon]

10 years old! That's really sad

It said her boyfriend is also a minor, but I'd still be interested to know his exact age, which was left out.

[vnathan]

The 'boyfriend' is 13...I read somewhere else. It also says that the mother is happy to have such a healthy grandchild. They are Romanian gypsies who migrated to Spain.

[dooshman]

Living together, as in "sleeping in the same bed?" More than likely, the grandmother's gonna raise that child, cuz that girl hasn't even reached puberty! By the time she's 20, that child will be nearing its teenage years. Poor parental guidance.

[Geemonster]

Just because it's that young doesn't mean it's wrong.
In the Middle East i'd agree as they're forced and beaten.
It's society that tells us what's right and wrong.
The age of consent is 14 in Holland 16 here in the UK.
Every culture is different,im not taking the moral high ground as she wasn't raped as far as i know.
Just because people do things differently to you,doesn't mean it's wrong.

[Faline]

Originally Posted by Geemonster ↗

Just because it's that young doesn't mean it's wrong.
In the Middle East i'd agree as they're forced and beaten.
It's society that tells us what's right and wrong.
The age of consent is 14 in Holland 16 here in the UK.
Every culture is different,im not taking the moral high ground as she wasn't raped as far as i know.
Just because people do things differently to you,doesn't mean it's wrong.

Common sense tells me it's wrong not society and i think i speak for most mums/dads here when i say i would not like my daughter having a baby at 10 years old!

[Geemonster]

Actually the younger the child the more successful the pregnancy from 12 to mid 20's has a higher success rate.
Female kittens come into season at 5-6 months.
I wouldn't personally touch a girl under 18.

[Eris Killton]

People are not kittens. She doesnt have the mental maturity.

[Pigeon]

Okay, getting your period doesn't mean you're now ready to start a family, for fuck's sake

[Geemonster]

I agree my point is it's not up to us to dictate who does what unless serious harm comes to a child.
I believe the father isn't much older,if it were an older man,i'd say he took advantage and was strictly out of order,but surely the family can help as in most pregnancies anyway.
It's called Biology Pigeon.
It's how various species propagate.