Man sues girlfriend after three-hour labor pain simulation leads to emergency surgery
A man in China’s Henan province has taken legal action against his girlfriend after enduring an extreme childbirth simulation that lasted three hours and resulted in a medical emergency, South China Morning Post reported. The man ultimately lost a section of his small intestine.
The woman had taken her fiancé to a labor pain simulation center as a “test” before their marriage, following a suggestion from her family. Although the boyfriend initially resisted the idea, he eventually relented and agreed to the challenge.
Pain simulation goes too far
The experience involved using electric currents to stimulate the skin and muscles, mimicking the pain of uterine contractions. The girlfriend gradually increased the intensity for the first 90 minutes, but by level 8, the man was “shouting and struggling.”
“My boyfriend started screaming and struggling at level 8, swearing and crying at level 10, and by the end, he was gasping for air. My sister and I kept wiping his sweat,” the woman wrote on social media.
A week later, the man was hospitalized with severe abdominal pain that progressively worsened. Doctors discovered irreversible damage to part of his small intestine, requiring its removal.
Engagement called off
The man’s mother banned the woman from visiting him in the hospital, announcing that the engagement was canceled.
“I was told my boyfriend had part of his small intestine removed. I am willing to take full responsibility as long as he recovers,” the girlfriend stated.
Social media backlash
The man’s ordeal quickly went viral, sparking outrage on social media, with users condemning the woman and her family.
“Typical labor pain lasts at most 10 minutes. This girlfriend and her family seem crazy,” one user commented.
Another added, “Childbirth is infinitely more complicated. No amount of simulation can replicate that.”
A third user wrote, “This woman’s actions should have legal consequences.”
Legal implications
Under Chinese law, individuals who cause injury to another person must provide compensation for medical expenses, nursing care, transportation, nutrition, and rehabilitation costs.
