Dec 09 (Japan Times) - Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto, known for its “Konotori no Yurikago†(storks’ cradle) baby hatch, will start a program allowing women to give birth while keeping their names secret, a senior official has said.
The hospital in the city of Kumamoto decided on the move after making little progress in talks with the city government on assistance to isolated pregnant women, Dr. Takeshi Hasuda, deputy head of the hospital, said Saturday.
It will be the only hospital in Japan to have such a program, according to the hospital.
Hasuda called for understanding of the program, stressing the need to protect mothers who would otherwise give birth alone and their babies.
Those hoping to use the confidential birth program would disclose their identities only to the head of the hospital’s consultation office for mothers with newborns.
Documents on which the users’ names are written would be sealed and kept elsewhere. In the hospital, the users would be allowed to get checkups and give birth under assumed names. The hospital would pay related costs for those with financial difficulties.
The seals would not be broken until their children reach a certain age. The children’s rights to know their family backgrounds would be protected because they would be allowed to see the names of their mothers if they want, according to Hasuda.
