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A thirty-two-year-old woman identified as Sasikala from Tiruppur district died on June 28, four days after attempting a home birth without medical assistance.
Inspector S Saravanan from the Uthukuli police station told TNM that it is unclear at present why she chose to attempt a home birth.
“Sasikala gave birth at her home on June 24 at around 5.45 am. Her husband, Kolanathasamy, aided in the delivery by following instructions from YouTube videos. She fell unconscious from overbleeding two hours after giving birth and was rushed to hospital. We were notified only two days later,” he said.
The inspector added that Sasikala remained unconscious when police visited her in hospital.
Sasikala hailed from Punjai Thalavipalayam near Uthukuli in Tiruppur district. Police told TNM that she went into labour on the night of June 23 and gave birth at home in the early hours of June 24. She developed postpartum haemorrhaging as her placenta had not been removed properly and soon lost consciousness.
She was first taken to Perundurai Government Medical College Hospital, then moved to a private super-speciality hospital near Neelambur in Coimbatore, where she died. Her body is now in the medical college pending post-mortem examinations.
Sasikala’s parents have told police that they rushed to her home after receiving a phone call that she had gone into labour. After they arrived, Sasikala allegedly told them to wait outside a room, saying she’d opted for a home birth and locked the doors, the inspector added.
The newborn girl is reportedly under treatment at a hospital in Erode and is in a stable condition.
Following a complaint by the block medical officer, Dr Nitya, a case has been filed against Kolanathasamy under BNS section 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and section 34(2) of the Medical Commission Act, police also said.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.