Woman overdoses on kelp trying to boost chances of giving birth to a boy
How far would one go to guarantee the sex of an unborn child? In the case of a 36-year-old woman from Wuhan, China, far enough to substitute all three meals with only kelp for two weeks, in order to guarantee her chances of carrying a boy during her second pregnancy.
The woman, who goes by the surname Liu, had read off an Internet forum that a diet consisting of alkalescent food such as kelp and marine algae, one month before conception will guarantee a male fetus.
During her two-week kelp diet, Liu began to experience discomfort, palpitations and excessive sweating.
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Concerned by his wife's ongoing illnesses, Liu's husband took her to the hospital where she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.
Liu already has a 6-year-old daughter with her husband. Since China now allows parents to have a second child, Liu was reported to be keen on a male heir to carry on the family name.
A doctor with New River Hospital in Hubei, told The Paper that kelp is rich in iodine and excessive intake can lead to the autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland.
Hyperthyroidism is known to affect a woman's chances of conception. Fortunately for Liu, her illness was detected early enough to be treated without any long-term effects to her health.
Liu might want to think twice from now on about taking medical advice from the Internet.
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