LIFE for a Gokwe woman has turned into a nightmare after she was ditched by her husband and is also facing possible eviction from her rural home because she has been “pregnant” for over two years.
Ms Tendai Sibanda (29) of Munyanyiri Village under Chief Njelele in Gokwe claims she skipped her periods for the first nine months she was “pregnant” and has endured 30 months of pregnancy with no sign that she might give birth anytime soon.
“The problem started about two years ago when I missed my periods and my stomach started bulging. I went to Gokwe District Hospital and the nurses who attended me told me that I was pregnant and could have twins.
“When my delivery was due, I waited there for five months but could not give birth. I went to see the doctor but I was told that there was nothing wrong with me.
“It’s close to three years now but the problem is yet to be established,” she said.
Ms Sibanda said the dire situation was worsened by her husband, Mr Chamunorwa Minara, who deserted her and moved in with a neighbour who is about twice his age.
“I stayed for long at the hospital as the nurses and doctors tried to find out what could be the problem with me. “My husband never visited when he heard that the pregnancy had exceeded nine months.
“I spent close to six months there and when I was discharged from hospital I found my husband living with another woman from the same village.
“The two are now living together as husband and wife despite the fact that the woman is almost twice his age,” she said.
Ms Sibanda said she was now fighting with the village head who is seeking to evict her following her misfortunes.
“I accept that you cannot force someone to love you when he feels otherwise. Now the challenge I am having is my village head told me to vacate my place so that he could give it to someone else. He is friends with my husband and they have connived to evict me. I have taken remedial action by taking the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” she said.
Chief Njelele confirmed that the matter was brought for his attention by the village head and was in the process of solving it.
“This woman came to me fighting with her husband and they wanted to divorce. I haven’t finished dealing with the issue. What I know is that the issue was over her pregnancy whose birth was now long overdue,” he said.
Government gynaecology consultant and specialist Dr Velda Mushangwe said there were two possible conditions that Ms Sibanda could be suffering from. “Firstly there is a condition called pseudopregnancy when a woman really wants to be pregnant and starts acting like she is pregnant. This affects her psychologically and she starts to experience pregnancy-like symptoms. The second condition that she could be suffering from is fibroid. It is a big abdomen. Something develops in the womb or ovaries.
“I have done operations on people with similar conditions and recently I did one on a woman and removed the abnormal growth that weighed 18kg. We need to examine her and find out what her problem could be. In any case if a pregnancy exceeds its normal expected time which is about 40 weeks, it only delays by two weeks maximum,” she said. Sunday News
Ms Tendai Sibanda (29) of Munyanyiri Village under Chief Njelele in Gokwe claims she skipped her periods for the first nine months she was “pregnant” and has endured 30 months of pregnancy with no sign that she might give birth anytime soon.
“The problem started about two years ago when I missed my periods and my stomach started bulging. I went to Gokwe District Hospital and the nurses who attended me told me that I was pregnant and could have twins.
“When my delivery was due, I waited there for five months but could not give birth. I went to see the doctor but I was told that there was nothing wrong with me.
Gokwe woman has been pregnant for over 10 months. |
Ms Sibanda said the dire situation was worsened by her husband, Mr Chamunorwa Minara, who deserted her and moved in with a neighbour who is about twice his age.
“I stayed for long at the hospital as the nurses and doctors tried to find out what could be the problem with me. “My husband never visited when he heard that the pregnancy had exceeded nine months.
“I spent close to six months there and when I was discharged from hospital I found my husband living with another woman from the same village.
“The two are now living together as husband and wife despite the fact that the woman is almost twice his age,” she said.
Ms Sibanda said she was now fighting with the village head who is seeking to evict her following her misfortunes.
“I accept that you cannot force someone to love you when he feels otherwise. Now the challenge I am having is my village head told me to vacate my place so that he could give it to someone else. He is friends with my husband and they have connived to evict me. I have taken remedial action by taking the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” she said.
Chief Njelele confirmed that the matter was brought for his attention by the village head and was in the process of solving it.
“This woman came to me fighting with her husband and they wanted to divorce. I haven’t finished dealing with the issue. What I know is that the issue was over her pregnancy whose birth was now long overdue,” he said.
Government gynaecology consultant and specialist Dr Velda Mushangwe said there were two possible conditions that Ms Sibanda could be suffering from. “Firstly there is a condition called pseudopregnancy when a woman really wants to be pregnant and starts acting like she is pregnant. This affects her psychologically and she starts to experience pregnancy-like symptoms. The second condition that she could be suffering from is fibroid. It is a big abdomen. Something develops in the womb or ovaries.
“I have done operations on people with similar conditions and recently I did one on a woman and removed the abnormal growth that weighed 18kg. We need to examine her and find out what her problem could be. In any case if a pregnancy exceeds its normal expected time which is about 40 weeks, it only delays by two weeks maximum,” she said. Sunday News
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