Lina Medina - World's Youngest Mother at 5-yeas-old

Lina Medina - World's Youngest Mother at 5-yeas-old

Photographed in 1940, Lina Medina with her baby at eleven months of age and doctor who delivered him.

Delivered full term by Dr. Lozada and Dr. Busalleu, Linas caesarian operation was performed at Lima Perus maternity clinic.

Linas son, weighing almost six pounds, was delivered in good health and both Mother and child were released after only a few days.

Lina Medina, born in Paurange, Peru in 1933 had a condition known as precocious puberty. She was only 5 years8 months old when she gave birth.

The child was born weighing 5 pounds and 9 ounces. It is thought that Lina is the youngest girl in recorded history to give birth to a full term, healthy baby.

Doctors discovered Linas menstrual cycle started when she was eight months old.

The reason for this disorder is not known. As it's not everyday a 5 year old girl gets pregnant, research on the disorder is hard. Dr. Gerardo Lozada the doctor who delivered her son was astonished.

Although her father was suspected in sexually molesting her and getting her pregnant, Lina never admitted it and the case was dropped for lack of evidence.

Linas son Gererdo was shocked when at ten years of age he discovered his 15 year old sister was really his mom.

In 1979 at the age of 40 Gerardo passed away after suffering from bone marrow disease.

Thirty three years after Gerardos birth, in 1972, Lina was married and had a second child.

Lina was born to poor country folk from Ticrapo in Peru's poorest province.

Joseph Sandoval, an obstetrician, shed new light on Medinas story with a book he wrote in 2002 challenging the Peruvian government to offer financial assistance to her after they forced her to live in poverty in 1939.

Extreme degrees of precocious puberty in children under 5 are very uncommon but not unheard of.

Pregnancy and delivery by a child this young remains extremely rare because extreme precocious puberty is treated to suppress fertility, preserve growth potential, and reduce the social consequences of full sexual development in childhood.

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