A paediatrician, Dr Ayobola Adebowale, popularly known as Your Baby Doctor, has said that some newborn baby girls may experience light bleeding shortly after birth, a condition medically known as pseudo menstruation or neonatal menstruation.

Adebowale, in a video obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, explained that the condition results from hormonal changes after delivery and is completely harmless.

She said, “Your newborn baby can actually menstruate, and this is what we call pseudo menstruation or neonatal menstruation. It occurs because your baby inside your womb was exposed to a lot of your hormones.

“When you bring them out suddenly at the time of delivery, they have what we call withdrawal bleeding, which is basically menstruation. This happens in newborn babies and it’s essentially normal.”

The paediatrician advised parents not to panic when they notice such discharge in their baby girls, assuring that it resolves naturally after a few days.

“You have no reason to be scared or worried. Just observe the discharge and it will clear on its own. You really don’t have to do anything, and that child is not a witch,” she added.

However, Adebowale cautioned that if the bleeding persists, parents should consult a doctor for proper evaluation.

Medical research supports her explanation, noting that neonatal menstruation usually occurs within the first week after birth and is triggered by a sudden drop in the mother’s oestrogen levels following delivery.

Doctors advise that medical attention should be sought if the bleeding is heavy, lasts beyond a few days, or occurs after the first week of life, as it may indicate an infection or other underlying condition.