Unable to bear labour pain, UP woman slits her abdomen with knife; delivers healthy baby girl later
Times of India
by PATHIKRIT CHAKRABORTYFebruary 20, 2026
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A 34-year-old woman in India's Uttar Pradesh province made headlines after allegedly cutting open her own abdomen with a kitchen knife during intense labor pain. Despite the severity of her injuries, she successfully delivered a healthy baby girl at a local health center. The incident occurred in Nandwal village of Bahraich district, where the woman, identified as Nankai Kumari, was left alone to care for their four sons after her husband's passing six months ago.
Nankai reportedly experienced severe labor pain around 1:30 pm and, with no adults present at home, resorted to using a vegetable-cutting knife to relieve the agony. Her cries alerted villagers, who rushed to her aid and found her gravely injured, with her intestines protruding from the wound. She was promptly taken to a local Community Health Centre (CHC), where doctors performed an emergency delivery, resulting in the birth of a healthy baby girl. However, due to the deep abdominal injury, she was later transferred to the KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow for advanced treatment.
The incident has shocked residents and raised questions about maternal healthcare access in rural areas. Nankai's story highlights the extreme measures women may take when faced with unmanageable labor pain and a lack of immediate medical support. Her situation underscores the need for improved healthcare infrastructure and better support systems for expectant mothers in remote regions, where such incidents are often preventable with timely intervention.
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/20/2026