A photograph reportedly taken inside a Kolkata delivery room has triggered a heated debate online after an intern doctor shared an image of herself suturing a woman following childbirth, alongside the caption, “Silai bunai aata hai? (Do you know how to sew?)”
A photograph reportedly taken inside a Kolkata delivery room has triggered a heated debate online after an intern doctor shared an image of herself suturing a woman following childbirth, alongside the caption, “Silai bunai aata hai? (Do you know how to sew?)” The intern, Dr Sudeshna, is a student at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH). In the photograph, she is seen dressed in surgical scrubs, gloves, a mask and a hairnet while holding a needle holder and suture thread attached to a curved needle. The image appears to show her carrying out a suturing procedure near the patient’s pelvic area.
The photograph was reportedly posted on Instagram earlier this month before being reposted on X. It quickly drew criticism, with several users questioning whether such an image should have been shared publicly and raising concerns over the patient’s privacy.
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The controversy gained further attention after content creator and UPSC educator Amit Kilhor posted about the newborn photographs on X. The issue later resurfaced online, reigniting questions about the boundaries of social media use by medical professionals.
Doctor says she had the mother’s consent
Dr Sudeshna has defended the post, claiming that the new mother had consented to the photograph being shared. Responding to the criticism, the intern said the mother was not under anaesthesia when she gave her consent. According to Dr Sudeshna, she obtained permission from the woman four hours after the delivery.
“I have informed consent from the mother (4 hours post delivery),” Dr Sudeshna wrote.
She also claimed that the woman herself had offered to have photographs taken with her newborn. However, the explanation has failed to settle the debate, with critics continuing to question whether consent obtained around childbirth can always be considered fully voluntary, particularly when a patient may be in pain or dependent on medical care.
Dr Sudeshna, however, pushed back against the criticism, arguing that the photograph did not violate NMC guidelines because she was not promoting any pharmaceutical product.
Earlier apology over newborn pictures
The latest controversy comes after the intern previously shared photographs of a newborn online. She later apologised for posting the images.
Following the backlash, she issued an apology on X on September 5.
“This is to apologise for my misdemeanour in my recent tweets. I completely understand there is a huge social and personal sentiment attached to a new born baby and I am really sorry for hurting it, as I genuinely didn’t know it wasn’t okay to do it – you observe and learn,” she wrote.
Dr Sudeshna has since made her Instagram account private.