Giving birth on an airplane

I am about to drive to the Houston airport.  I am going there for personal reasons, but will now make the drive thinking about one 14-year-old Houston girl who was at the airport yesterday.

The AP reports that this young teenager gave birth to a stillborn fetus in an airplane bathroom.  She put the fetus in the trash bin and returned to her seat.  A stewardess found the fetus after landing when she was cleaning the bathroom.  The teenager did not know she was pregnant.  I’m sure she had no idea what to do when she went to the bathroom with cramping and then realized what was happening.

There were many places along this girl’s way when some informational and emotional sexuality education could have been highly effective.

This world of ours is so full of pain and sorrow.  My heart goes out to this child, who did not feel she had the ability or the resources to reach out for support in her moment of such extreme need.

(Thanks to Rev. Debra Haffner for the link.) 

About Karen Rayne

Dr. Karen Rayne has been supporting parents and families since 2007 when she received her PhD in Educational Psychology. A specialist in child wellbeing, Dr. Rayne has spent much of her career supporting parents, teachers, and other adults who care for children and teenagers.

1 Comment

  1. I feel so much for the girl. It is so important that we have the lines of communication open with our teenage children.

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