In a remarkable act of survival and determination, a mother took extreme measures to save herself and her unborn child by performing a self-caesarean section using a regular kitchen knife. Ines Ramirez Perez, 40 years old and in her seventh month of pregnancy, began experiencing labor pains on March 5, 2000. Having previously given birth eight times, with the tragic loss of her eighth child due to unforeseen circumstances, Ines was resolute that this time her baby would survive.
Living in a remote mountain cabin in southern Mexico with her husband away hunting, Ines found herself 80km from the nearest clinic with no means of communication. After enduring 12 hours of excruciating pain, she made a bold decision. With no sharp knife in the house, she sent her eight-year-old son to fetch one from a nearby shop. Consuming rubbing alcohol for courage, Ines proceeded with the life-saving operation.
Recalling the harrowing experience, Ines described how she cut open her own womb to deliver her baby boy, Orlando, with sheer determination and perseverance. Despite the intense pain, she managed to cut the umbilical cord before losing consciousness. Following the DIY operation in her dimly lit home, Ines wrapped her open abdomen with a sweater and waited for help.
Several hours later, village health assistant Leon Cruz arrived and sewed up Ines’s incision before transporting her and the newborn to the nearest road. They made a two-hour journey to the clinic, where Ines received immediate medical attention and was later transferred to the hospital for recovery. Both mother and baby survived what was deemed a miraculous feat.
Dr. Onorio Galvan, from Huixtepec Hospital, marveled at Ines’s survival, citing her positioning during the self-caesarean as a crucial factor. Ines’s unique experience, the first of its kind to be documented, astounded medical professionals. Despite the gravity of the situation, Ines’s unwavering determination and resourcefulness saved both her and her baby’s lives in an extraordinary turn of events.