Soldier has baby on the frontline:...gives birth after Taliban raid

Daily Mail ^ | 9-19-12 | Ian Drury, David Williams

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Complete title:

Soldier has baby on the frontline: Doctors sent from the UK as Army girl - who didn't even know she was pregnant - gives birth after Taliban raid

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Royal Artillery gunner who was deployed with the 12th Mechanised Brigade gives birth to baby five weeks premature

Fijian soldier had passed her pre-deployment training, including an eight-mile march and five-mile run, without realising she was pregnant

British Army handbook editor says top brass will need to 'start thinking very, very carefully' about how female soldiers are tested before deployment

*snip*

The woman had a son in Camp Bastion on Tuesday – just days after the Taliban launched a deadly attack on the UK’s main base in Helmand.

The baby was born five weeks premature. Last night both mother and child were said to be doing well.

A paediatric team from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford will travel to Afghanistan in the next few days to provide care for the soldier and her son on their RAF flight home.

The birth has stunned military chiefs and led to calls for extra medical checks on women who are sent to the warzone.

Almost 200 troops have discovered they were pregnant at war since 2003 – forcing commanders to send them straight back to Britain. But this is the first time a UK soldier has given birth to a baby in Afghanistan.

*snip*

She had been deployed with the 12th Mechanised Brigade since March, but two days ago complained of severe stomach pains.

To her astonishment, medics informed her that she was about to give birth.

She was in the 34th week of her pregnancy, meaning she conceived before flying to Afghanistan for her six-month tour of duty.

[tbw2]

Interesting question: how do we test females prior to deployment.
Answer: EPT

[goat granny]

The idiots that are in charge of our military will never figure it out...they cann’t find their ass using both hands.. I have been PG 6 times and that woman wasn’t doing much of anything....except maybe asking one of our soldiers to help her up the hill....

[svcw]

That is a possibility, probably the most likely reason.
This will be my nieces third child while in the Air Force, her husband is special forces.
They have always been stationed together, which has been great.
Everyone was surprised and excited by the new baby.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Oh, absolutely. Early in pregnancy it's not much --- jus a little fluttering, you could tell yourself you have a nervous tummy or something --- but at 5 or 6 months, geez, as soon as you lay down the little wiggler starts with the elbows and knees.

I don't see how you could think that all that pushing and rummaging around was indigestion!!

[M-cubed]

Bingo!...You can't put a women in a foxhole with a 18-24 yr old guy and not expect the “unexpected”

Maybe someday...but at this point.... we haven't evolved enough as a species.....

[timlilje]

Had this happen in Germany in 1980. Nobody knew she was PG. Discharges shortly therafter

[Eepsy]

Out of five kids I had one who had almost no detectable movement. I kept having to go for ultrasounds to keep track of her. The Doctor told me it was because the placenta was at the front of my belly, effectively cushioning all the kicks.

As far as not showing, I’m going to go for a combination of small baby, tilted uterus, and rock hard abs....

[Mrs. Don-o]

You’re probably right. Them’s things I never had.... :o}