A newborn baby in Brazil has captured worldwide attention after being photographed clutching his mother’s contraceptive device just moments after birth — the very IUD that was supposed to stop him from being conceived.

His mother, Queidy Araujo de Oliveira, had trusted the copper intrauterine device (IUD) for two years, believing it was one of the safest forms of birth control. But during a routine check-up, she received shocking news: she was pregnant. Despite the odds, she carried her baby through months of complications, including bleeding and medical scares.

At Hospital Sagrado Coracao de Jesus in Neropolis, little Matheus Gabriel finally entered the world — healthy, strong, and, in an ironic twist, holding his “defeated” opponent.

Dr Natalia Rodrigues, who delivered the baby, placed the IUD into Matheus’s tiny hand for a lighthearted moment. The video was quickly shared online with the cheeky caption: “Holding my victory trophy: the IUD that couldn’t handle me!”

While IUDs are more than 99% effective, doctors stress that no contraceptive is absolutely foolproof. Failures, though rare, can happen if the device shifts out of place, is inserted incorrectly, or, in exceptional cases, perforates the uterus.

For Queidy, the experience was both frightening and miraculous. “When we least expected it, I found out I was pregnant during an IUD follow-up. The reaction was desperate,” she admitted. Her husband, awaiting a vasectomy at the time, later joked: “The factory is now closed.”

Now, baby Matheus has become a symbol of resilience — a reminder that life sometimes finds a way, even against medical odds.