Pune: A 22-year-old woman and her newborn infant died on Tuesday following severe complications arising from an unassisted home delivery in Chinchwad. Police suspect that the family attempted the delivery at home to keep the woman’s pregnancy a secret as she was unmarried.The woman, a resident of Chinchwadenagar, belonged to a poor family. She went into premature labour late on the night of March 24. According to officials, she was approximately six to seven months pregnant. Shortly after giving birth at home, she began bleeding profusely.As her condition turned critical, she was first rushed to a private hospital. However, doctors there referred her to a govt facility for specialised care. She was subsequently moved to Sassoon General Hospital, where both she and the infant passed away during treatment.Doctors said despite intensive efforts to save the newborn after the mother’s death, the baby died a few hours later.Preliminary police investigations reveal that the woman had concealed her pregnancy from her family, who only became aware of her condition when she went into labour. She lived with her mother, a domestic worker, her brother, and her sister-in-law.“We suspect there was a significant delay in seeking medical intervention,” a senior police officer said. “The family may have attempted the delivery at home because the woman was unmarried, likely in an effort to prevent the matter from becoming public.”Senior police inspector Dattatray Chaskar of Chinchwad police station stated that a case of accidental death has been registered. Further investigations into the circumstances surrounding the deaths are currently underway.
