Unaware of pregnancy, Michigan woman delivers 10-pound baby

A Michigan woman reportedly traveled to Allegiance Health Friday, telling doctors she suspected she was suffering from a hernia.

Instead, she gave birth to a ten-pound baby girl.

Linda Ackley,  44, of Summit Township, Michigan, reportedly gave birth to the child after physicians determined she was pregnant. The child, Kimberly Kay Ackley, is the first for the couple and was born at 11:20 p.m. She is normal and healthy, and weighed 1ten pounds, one ounce, the couple announced in a joint statement released over the weekend. The girl and her mother were discharged from the hospital Monday afternoon. Doctors at first thought Ackley had three to four weeks to go, but a follow up ultrasound confirmed that she was full term.

Understandably, the  story has captured national attention due to its uniqueness. Speaking Sunday, Ackley said she never suspected she was pregnant due to the fact doctors repeatedly told her she did not have the ability to bear children. According to Ackley, in February 2011 she contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a bacterial infection that attacks soft tissue. Her blood-sugar level was far above normal and her immune system shut down, leaving her in a coma for a week. The resulting abdominal surgery conducted in an effort to address the string of health issues convinced doctors that she would never have babies.

Ackley noted that that any strange movements in her stomach were attributed to expanding and contracting nerves and muscles due to her surgery. She never thought it was a baby moving around.  Ackley said she and her husband was stunned by the news.

"Some people have nine months to prepare. I had [15] hours," said Mike Ackley. "I wish someone would have taken a picture of my face."

While the story is seen as incredibly unique, a number of physicians say it is somewhat common. Some health experts say local hospitals deal with upwards of two to three cases a year, where individuals arrive with unknown pregnancies.

Doctors say surprise pregnancies can be attributed to a number of issues, including false negative pregnancy tests, body weight, and few side effects. Doctors say they often see cases where surprise pregnancies are the result of inactive babies. While baby kicks are common for many women, if the baby rests in such a way that makes its movements hard to detect or it's simply less active than others babies, movement in the womb — or lack thereof — can shape a woman's perception of her pregnancy. Doctors also point to an overconfidence in contraceptives.

While the news is a bit shocking for the couple, they say they are coping fine. A number of other family members and friends are helping the couple by giving them gifts and monetary donations.

Source:
http://www.news.ezonearticle.com/2013/02/17/unaware-of-pregnancy-michigan-woman-delivers-10-pound-baby/