Pregnant in Pattaya

From Pattaya in Thailand, a story that the Peuan Peuan (Friends Thailand) team there recently worked on. It involved a mix of teen pregnancy, alternative care, and the results of a great collaboration with our partner hospital in the area.

‘Chonburi Hospital’s Social Services, one of our local partner organizations, reached out to us recently about a 4-month-old baby. It seems a young woman, 22-year-old Kee* had left this baby with them with no prior notice or any information. The hospital needed our help. Firstly, with diapers, and then also with guidance – what to do with the baby. Should it be placed in an orphanage?

Our team sprang into action right away. We quickly tracked down Kee. On doing so, we learned some important details about her situation. She had not been aware she was pregnant. Unfortunately she had taken medication during her pregnancy that affected the baby’s health. We discovered she already had two other children, aged seven and five, from different fathers. They lived with their grandmother in the north east of the country, in Isaan province. Her grandmother refused to take care of any more of Kee’s children, so Kee decided to find a way to place the newborn in an orphanage.

We also managed to find Kee’s father. He was willing to help care for the baby alongside Kee. This was good news. We helped facilitate the reunification process and made sure the family had all the support they needed. We also set up follow-up measures to keep an eye on their well-being. Kee even started taking contraceptive injections to prevent future unplanned pregnancies. All in all, a good outcome from what had not seemed too hopeful in the beginning! ‘

*name changed

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Peuan Peuan is a member of the Friends Alliance