Chandigarh, November 9
Like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the “11-11-11 bug” has stung the city’s expectant mothers too. The date, which comes once in 800 years and is considered auspicious by numerologists and astrologers, has prompted many expectant mothers to schedule their caesarean babies by either advancing or delaying their dates or deliveries by a few days.
Gynaecologists in the city are likely to be busy on Friday and though the exact numbers of deliveries scheduled for the day are not available, doctors claim that it’s going to be quite high. And surprisingly, it’s not only private hospitals where such deliveries are being planned as even government hospitals are receiving requests for “adjustments” and they are obliging wherever circumstances permit.
“For those who strongly believe in astrology and numerology, special and significant dates are always important,” says Dr Poonam Kumar of Chaitanya Hospital adding that with advances in medical sciences it had become possible to achieve such timings.
Dr Anju Huria, head of the gynaecology department at GMCH-32, is also rescheduling her patients’ check-up appointments for Thursday because at least three women have requested caesarean deliveries for Friday.
Dr Swapna Misra of Fortis said: “The media has hyped it. I have been getting frantic calls from my patients to reschedule their delivery dates. Those who have to undergo an elective surgery a day before or after, want to have the baby on 11/11/11.” For many, it may be the Bachchan connection, but the auspicious date is the main reason for the rush.
Referring to the significance of the number 11, numerologist PK Khurana said: “The number 11 adds up to two. People born on dates that add up to two are genuine and down-to-earth. Examples are Shahrukh Khan (November 2), Amitabh Bachchan (October 11) and Michael Jackson (August 29).”
The combination of the sun sign Scorpio and the number two was also said to be very powerful. “Scorpions are known to be attractive and bold and they maintain an impressive physical and mental balance,” he said. However, he said that scheduling deliveries for such dates was a “bit too much”.
However, not everyone is enamoured by the Bachchans or astrological predictions. Anita (name changed on request), a Sector 9 resident, who has chosen the date for delivery just because it’s fancy. “It will be 11.11.11. What fun would it be if the baby is born at 11.11 am or pm,” she said excitedly.
Dr Mangla Dogra said: “I had patients asking for a change of date but I told them that I shall comply only if it is a medical reason. I have refused all requests. I will be operating only one case.”
To-be mothers reschedule delivery dates, Unethical practice, say doctors
Former PGI Director and chairman of the Medical Council of India, Dr KK Talwar, has dubbed the trend unethical. He maintained that it did not make much of a difference if a caesarean baby was born a day in advance or a day later, but the practice of altering the actual date of delivery only for coinciding it with an auspicious day was unethical and doctors should not encourage it. He said generally the trend was rampant in private hospitals, but of late even doctors in government hospitals were succumbing to such requests. Sharing similar views, former PGI Director, Dr BK Sharma, said changing the date of deliveries for non-medical reasons was unethical.
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