FEBRUARY 29 LEAP YEAR BABIES

Julius Ceaser should be proud today that at least three babies checked into the Earth by “Caesarean section” in hospitals across Meghalaya on a calendar day, which he first officially declared and made popular - now known as Leap Year.

February 29, is a rare day in a Leap Year and comes every four years to compensate for the extra .242 days or about six hours the earth takes to complete one revolution around the Sun. Every four years the extra 24 hours are added into a day so as to keep records tidy.

 

The odds of being born on this day are 1 in every 1461 and naturally “leapers” consider themselves lucky being born on this rare day.

Today in this hilly north-eastern state of India, Meghalaya ten emergency pregnancy-related calls were received by EMRI (which caters to emergency needs)  from different hospitals in Meghalaya. One girl child was delivered in an EMRI ambulance while rushing to Ganesh Das Government Hospital,” Aurie Robert Passah, Public Relations Officer, EMRI said. There are no official records so far of the other nine cases.

In different city hospitals here at least four male babies were born on this day – one at Nazareth Hospital and three at the Woodland Hospital. Waiting to get details from other hospitals was as difficult as waiting for this day itself.

The fun bit of being born on a Leap day is that a person adds an extra candle only after four years. So he/she can remain a sweet 16 till the age of 64 years! On the darker side you get to cut your birthday cake only after four years.

Worldwide, February 29 is also observed as the Rare Disease day. The day raises the awareness on Rare Disease, which are sometimes genetic in nature. India is a partner country joining the International Community to raise the awareness level on these rare Diseases.