Ten-year old Girl Gives Birth, but She's Not...

A 10-year old girl in Colombia has given birth and headlines are painting her as one of the youngest mothers in history. Although it's true that 10 years old is quite young, she certainly isn't the youngest and not even in the list of top five in world history. What's worse is that some of the youngest to have given birth lived right here in the United States.

The name of the Colombian girl has not been released by the media, and for good reason. The last thing she needs is to have her name and image all over the world for people to gawk at like she's some sideshow, when in reality she is a victim of sexual abuse. It's reported that she is the member of a tribe in Colombia which have its own jurisdiction so authorities are unable to apprehend the father, nor do they know how old he is. For all that is known, this child's dangerous pregnancy could be an accepted practice in her tribe, but that doesn't make it right. Biologically, a child of this age is unable to pass an infant due to the size of the pelvic regionÂ—although it varies. These children may be able to become pregnant, but it's very rare that the baby can be carried to term and delivered naturally. This child was born of a C-section, according to sources.

So who's the youngest girl to ever give birth? A five-year-old out of Peru by the name of Lina Medina. The child gave birth (by C-Section) to a healthy boy, who was raised as her brother by her parents. However, by the age of 10, the boy found out who his real mother was. Could you imagine being only five years younger than your own mother? It's practically unthinkable, and damn near biologically improbableÂ—though obviously proven not impossible.

A six-year old also managed to become pregnant in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. However, the very-young woman did not undergo a C-section, and the child was stillborn. An eight-year old gave birth in Colombia in the 1930s as well and at least two nine-year olds have given birth in the United States and even as recently as the late 1950s. It has happened, and the age of 10 really doesn't seem like its "among the youngest" after knowing the horrible list of children who have gone through what only grown women should know and experience. Nonetheless, 10 is still entirely too young and it's a shame that this level of abuse occurs. It's equally a shame that there are still certain cultures on this planet that condone it.