The childhood of Lina Medina, from Ticrapo Peru, is unlike any other girls'. While most five-year-old girls are usually seen playing with toy dolls and are about to start preschool, Lina was already in her puberty stage.
Lina was born on September 27, 1933. Everything seemed normal at first, according to her parents, until they noticed the abrupt changes on the girl's body. Her body became more mature and her belly increased in size. They brought her to the hospital to have her checked by the doctors. At first, they thought it was a tumor, but to everyone's shock, they found out that Lina was pregnant for seven months!
The test was confirmed through uterus x-rays and hormone tests. The parents have also mentioned that their daughter already had her monthly period, which suddenly stopped.
The doctors were of course baffled by the girl's peculiar condition, and many would like to take the opportunity to do more research on what they perceived as a "medical miracle". Lina was then transferred by Dr. Gerardo Lozada to a hospital in Lima, Peru where they can observe her all the time.
On May 14, 1939, Lina became the youngest mother in history, at the age of five years and seven months. A cesarean section was performed when she gave birth since her pelvis wasn't big enough to deliver the baby.
She named her baby after her doctor — "Gerardo." When Dr. Lozada, Dr. Busalleu, and Dr. Colareta operated on her, they found out that her mammary glands and reproductive organs were already fully developed because of a rare condition called "precocious puberty."
Lina's father was arrested for allegations of abuse, but no evidence was found. The identity of the baby's father was never revealed.
In the medical journal La Presse Médicale, Dr. Edmundo Escomel explained in details the girl's rare condition. According to him, Lina had her first menstruation when she was eight months old, much earlier to what her parents claimed. Her body had also experienced prominent changes such as mammary gland development, pelvic widening, and advanced bone maturation at ages four to five.
Gerardo was raised as Lina's younger brother, and their real relationship wasn't revealed to him until he was 10 years old. The Medina family continued to live their life normally. Lina worked as a secretary in the Lozada clinic in Lima. They also gave her education and supported her son through high school. Later on, she married Raúl Jurado and gave birth to their child in 1972.
Sadly, Lina's older son Gerardo died at the age of 40 due to bone marrow disease.
As of 2002, Lina is still living with her husband in a poor district of Lima, Peru. The world's youngest mother continue to attract media attention but had turned away a lot of reporters in the past years.
There have been doubts regarding the authenticity of Lina's story, but her medical records and x-ray results have been strong pieces of evidence to prove her case.
Written by Kristine Ang, Lucis Philippines contributor.
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