"If No Childbirth Experience, Pregnancy May Go Unnoticed"
No Pregnancy Line or Stretch Marks... Suspected Possibility of Video Fabrication
A YouTube video claiming that a pregnancy termination surgery was performed at 36 weeks of pregnancy has sparked controversy, prompting a police investigation. While some argue that it is impossible not to know about the pregnancy until full term and suggest the video might be manipulated, it is said that in rare cases, especially among younger individuals or those without childbirth experience, the pregnancy may go unnoticed.
The controversial video was posted on YouTube at the end of last month. YouTuber A posted a video titled "Total surgery cost 9 million won, 120 hours like hell," claiming to have undergone a pregnancy termination surgery at 36 weeks of pregnancy. Thirty-six weeks corresponds to 9 months of pregnancy, which is full term.
In the video, A claims to have only realized the pregnancy in the last month. Although menstruation had stopped, A did not suspect pregnancy due to a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A said, "Around March, when my period was long overdue, I visited an obstetrics and gynecology clinic and was told that it was due to hormonal imbalance caused by PCOS, so I didn’t suspect anything and just thought I had gained a lot of weight." He added, "But by the time I found out I was pregnant, it was already too late."
Some doubt the authenticity of the video, arguing that it is impossible not to know about the pregnancy until full term. They say that pregnancy causes physical changes such as cessation of menstruation and a growing belly, which would naturally raise suspicion at some point.
However, it is said that in some cases, especially for first-time pregnancies, the pregnancy may go unnoticed. Lawyer Ahn Jun-hyung stated on June 19 on MBC Radio's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" that "Regarding this case, after consulting with an obstetrics and gynecology specialist, it was explained that although rare, young mothers and those without childbirth experience may not realize they are pregnant until just before delivery."
Professor Hong Soon-cheol of Korea University Anam Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology also said on June 17 on YTN Radio's "Wise Radio Life," "In some cases, it is possible not to know because it is the first pregnancy," adding, "There should have been fetal movements felt in the middle of the pregnancy, but it is possible that these were not recognized as such." Regarding the possibility of manipulation, he said, "The obstetrician appearing in the ultrasound video says, 'This baby must be born,' so overall, the video does not seem to be manipulated."
There are also cases where stress and fear lead to denial of pregnancy. This is called pregnancy denial, the opposite of pseudocyesis (false pregnancy). Patients experiencing pregnancy denial may not only be unaware of their pregnancy but also may not show typical physical changes such as morning sickness or abdominal enlargement. However, since A mentioned having a growing belly and weight gain, it is unlikely to be pregnancy denial.
Nevertheless, the possibility that the video was fabricated cannot be ruled out. Some point out that A’s body showed no pregnancy lines or stretch marks, and that the belly returned to normal just one week after surgery, suggesting the video might have been manipulated.
Meanwhile, the police have announced plans to conduct a serious investigation after receiving a request from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to investigate A’s video. Although pregnancy termination after 24 weeks is illegal, the Constitutional Court ruled in 2019 that the criminal penalty for abortion under the Criminal Act is unconstitutional and thus unenforceable. Because of this, the Ministry of Health and Welfare requested the police to investigate A and the doctor who performed the surgery on charges of murder.
On June 15, at a regular press briefing, Cho Ji-ho, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said, "Traditional Korean academic theories and precedents do not recognize abortion as murder, but we will comprehensively review the case, including whether the 36-week fetus was aborted and whether the death occurred inside or outside the uterus, and after thorough fact-finding, we will consider the applicable laws and charges."
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