JAIPUR/UDAIPUR: In a startling case from southern Rajasthan, a 55-year-old woman from Jhadol village in Udaipur district has delivered her 17th child, prompting the state health department to launch an inquiry into family planning lapses in the region’s tribal areas.
The woman, Rekha Kalbeliya, gave birth at a local hospital, expanding her household to 24 members, which includes her eldest son (35), his wife, and grandchildren. Five of her children died shortly after birth, leaving 11 surviving siblings. The family, officials said, is facing acute financial distress and lives without stable housing.
Doctors Flag High-Risk Case
Roshan Darangi, a medical practitioner at Jhadol Community Health Center, said Kalbeliya initially claimed it was her fourth delivery. The hospital later discovered she had already borne 16 children. “Such a delivery could have been extremely high-risk without the patient’s complete medical history. She had no sonography records or prenatal test results,” Darangi noted.
Health Dept Raises Alarm
Senior health official Dr Madhu Riteshwar termed the case “a matter of concern,” adding:
“We will investigate whether our teams had ever reached this family to encourage family planning and check if other households in the area are in a similar situation.”
The incident has renewed focus on certain Udaipur blocks, particularly tribal belts, where total fertility rates (TFR) remain high despite ongoing awareness campaigns.
Policy Gaps in Spotlight
Officials say the department is working to reduce maternal mortality and manage high-risk pregnancies, but cases like Kalbeliya’s expose deep gaps in outreach and population stabilisation measures. The probe will examine why family planning interventions failed to reach her household and recommend strategies to strengthen health initiatives in vulnerable regions.
