A baby boy in Brazil has been pictured holding the contraceptive coil that was meant to prevent his mother from becoming pregnant. Matheus Gabriel was born at Hospital Sagrado Coracao de Jesus in Neropolis, Brazil, clutching the T-shaped intrauterine device (IUD) in his tiny hand.
His mother, Queidy Araujo de Oliveira, had been using the copper coil for about two years when she unexpectedly fell pregnant. The IUD, which is 99% effective, releases copper into the womb to prevent pregnancy and typically lasts five to ten years.
Doctors decided it was too risky to remove the device after the pregnancy was discovered, so it remained in place throughout. The mother experienced complications including bleeding and detachment, but her son was born healthy.
Dr Natalia Rodrigues, who delivered the baby, took a photo of the newborn holding the IUD. The image was shared on social media with the caption: 'Holding my victory trophy: the IUD that couldn't handle me!' The baby's father, who had been waiting for a vasectomy, joked that the 'factory is now closed'.
This is not the first such case; a similar incident occurred in Vietnam a few years ago, where a baby was born holding his mother's IUD. In that instance, the device had moved from its original position, rendering it ineffective.
