In Vietnam, a single photograph captured a moment so unexpected that it stunned millions across the globe — a newborn baby clutching his mother’s contraceptive device just moments after birth.
The image, taken at Hai Phong International Hospital, showed the baby gripping a small coiled intrauterine device (IUD) — the very one meant to prevent his conception. It quickly spread worldwide, becoming a viral symbol of life’s incredible persistence.
Dr. Tran Viet Phuong, the obstetrician who delivered the baby, recalled the moment vividly.
“It was such a rare and touching sight,” she said. “When the baby was born, the IUD came out beside him. Then he just wrapped his tiny hand around it — as if to say, ‘Nice try!’”
The mother, a 34-year-old woman from Hai Phong, had used the IUD for nearly two years after giving birth to two healthy children. Like millions of women worldwide, she trusted it — after all, IUDs are known to be over 99% effective.
But even science leaves room for surprises.
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