A Saudi high school student gave birth while taking a final exam

The story of a high school student who gave birth in an exam hall during a final went viral on social media late on Tuesday.  

According to Akhbaar 24, a student named Zuhoor was sitting in for her English exam when she suddenly went into labor. 

In her statement on the matter, the high school's headteacher Ruqaya Hawsawi said:

"The student is part of the home-schooling system, which allows students to only come in to school for exams. She arrived really early and no one noticed anything unusual, she wasn't feeling any labor pain at the time." 

Hawsawi added the student started feeling ill mid-way through her exam but decided to finish the test. 

"She handed in her paper and that's when we noticed something was wrong," the headteacher explained. 

"A teacher who was supervising the exam helped Zuhoor out of the hall. By then 2 other women were there helping us out as we waited for a medical team and Red Crescent workers to arrive," Hawsawi said. 

However, the delivery took place even before any medic made it to the scene. 

"It all happened so fast, the baby girl was born even before the Red Crescent crew arrived. When they did, the newborn was handed over to them. She and her mother were taken to a hospital for necessary medical check-ups," she added. 

The mother and the newborn, who has been named Zainab, are now back home and their family has thanked school officials for handling the situation the way they did.

"How did this happen?"

"She might be as young as 15-years-old. If that's the case, to be pregnant and give birth in an exam hall is beyond tragic."

"Reports say she's enrolled as part of a home-schooling program, where students only come in to sit for exams. Therefore, she might be over 25 years of age."

"Maybe she skipped a few years of high school and is now continuing her education."

"My goodness."

"Congratulations."