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🇳🇵 Nepal /Crime & Justice

Legal ambiguity over egg extraction from minors poses challenges for investigation, actions

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • A 17-year-old girl in Nepal suffered severe health complications after undergoing an illegal egg extraction procedure, initially misdiagnosed.
  • The girl was persuaded by an acquaintance to donate eggs, promised payment, and underwent the procedure at a clinic without her family's knowledge.
  • Police have registered a case under human organ trafficking laws, but the family alleges inaction.

A 17-year-old girl from Lalitpur, Nepal, experienced a severe health crisis following an illegal egg extraction, highlighting legal ambiguities and challenges in investigating such cases. Initially treated for a urinary tract infection, her condition worsened, leading to abdominal swelling and suspected complications from a ruptured egg sac, which doctors warned could be fatal.

We paid for very expensive medical examinations, but initially, nobody could diagnose what was wrong.

— Victim's motherDescribing the initial struggle to diagnose her daughter's severe illness.

During her treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, the girl confessed to having donated her eggs at a clinic in Lalitpur. She revealed that an acquaintance had convinced her the procedure was simple and harmless, promising a payment of Rs30,000. The teenager underwent the extraction after receiving injections at an In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) center.

I was afraid to speak earlier, but I donated my eggs at a clinic in Lalitpur.

— 17-year-old girlConfessing to the medical team about the egg donation procedure.

Her mother expressed bewilderment upon learning about egg donation, only understanding the situation after her daughter's confession. Despite intensive medical treatment, the girl's health remained fragile, though she eventually stabilized and was discharged. Hospital staff advised the family to report the incident to the police, as harvesting eggs from a minor is a serious crime.

Only then did I understand what had happened to my daughter.

— Victim's motherReacting to her daughter's confession about the egg donation.

Senior Superintendent of Police Gautam Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered under human organ trafficking laws and an investigation has been initiated. However, the victim's family has alleged that the police have not taken sufficient action, indicating potential hurdles in the legal process and the pursuit of justice.

The family approached us as soon as they learned about the illegal egg extraction.

— Senior Superintendent of Police Gautam MishraConfirming the registration of a case under human organ trafficking laws.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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