Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Peru teenager experiences abnormal breast growth

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

A 19-year-old single mother from Peru's highlands was diagnosed with abnormal breast growth when her mammary glands began producing milk during her pregnancy and did not stop.

Patricia Flores Gil, a native of the highland region of Cajamarca never suspected that when her breasts began to grow during the beginning of her pregnancy that they would not stop.

Five months into her pregnancy, they had reached an abnormal size, at which time her father Inocencio Flores decided to gather their savings and take his daughter to a hospital in Chiclayo, a city on Peru's northern coastal plain.

Doctors ruled out it was a tumor and admitted the teenager into Las Mercedes Hospital. Last week, Patricia gave birth to a baby girl.

The new mother had to remain at the hospital as doctors ran further tests.

During her stay, local media reported that Patricia received a great deal of help, support and sympathy from the twenty women that were on her floor at the hospital.

Dany Pérez, a hospital chief at Las Mercedes explained that Patricia had to undergo a special treatment and had to have her mammary glands cut to stop the growth of her breasts.

Doctors released Patricia from the hospital, stating she would have to continue her treatment in Cajamarca and that her breasts should return to their size.

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# peloflex says :
15 August, 2008 [ 22:54 ]

I wonder if this could be related to the fact that the milk industry is big in Cajamarca... maybe some cows are being overdosed with hormons to produce more milk and these hormons were passed into this girl.... Im not a doctor though... just a wonderer...

# Anonymous Dave says :
16 August, 2008 [ 01:34 ]

Very interesting peloflex.

# Lulu says :
16 August, 2008 [ 08:16 ]

I feel sorry for this poor girl. The doctors say they should return to their normal size, which is what happens after the usual enlargement during pregnancy and after breastfeeding, but these are unusually large.  I hope for her sake they do return to normal.

# Martin says :
16 August, 2008 [ 11:35 ]

How come no comments regarding the fact that this is another Peruvian mother, probably of limited economic means, having a baby. Who will support this mother and child? Charity in one form or another?

# David says :
16 August, 2008 [ 14:04 ]

Martin you assume an awful lot here, don't you?

You may be correct, but her farther was the one that took there life savings and brought her to the hospital. No mention of welfare or charity care in the article.

As for the poor giving birth at a greater rate then wealthy it is a proven fact that takes place around the world, weather it is the US, GB, or Europe. The poor of even the wealthiest nations have more children.

It provides greater chance for a success and these are usually unskilled workers or farmers that work in the family business. More children makes more hands to produce product.

Ever wonder why to of the poorer nations of the world have such a large population? (China & India)

# Splaktar says :
17 August, 2008 [ 22:42 ]

Certainly hormones of some sort were involved here.  Perhaps they were from cows or other foods that she ate.  Or perhaps it was just a genetic problem, which has now been passed down to her baby girl.

Martin touches on a very important problem that is much too common in Peru.  Single mother, 19 years old, from a poor family.  Her father had to take all of the family's money to get her this treatment.  Now where are they going to find money to raise the child?  19 years old from a poor family means that it is unlikely that she's going to be able to make much money for herself.  So the father is going to be forced to raise the child along with taking care of the mother, at least as long as he is able. 

It is not easy to find a husband here in Peru who will marry you and help you raise another man's baby.  If only she had actually gotten married and had someone to support her before getting pregnant.

Just another in a multitude of AVOIDABLE sad stories that happen every day in Peru.

# Lulu says :
18 August, 2008 [ 00:55 ]

I don't think this is a problem that is unique to Peru.  It happens all over the world, including the city in the southeastern U.S. where I live.  It's unfortunate because it perpetuates a cycle of poverty. It definitely has to do with the level of education and socioeconomic status. Having said that, I am probably on a different wavelength than Martin in terms of how I would like my tax dollars spent. I think societies are judged by how they treat their poor and vulnerable. And compassion, which comes from within, doesn't cost a cent.

# Lulu says :
18 August, 2008 [ 00:57 ]

P.S. I meant the problem of teen pregnancies, not the abnormal breast enlargement!