Fetus in fetu: What's the 'rarest of rare' condition detected in a pregnant Maharashtrian woman
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A 32-year-old Maharashtrian woman from Buldhana, who was on a ninth-month sonography a few days ago, was in for a surprise when her results came. Her body was home to a 'rarest of rare' condition that has only about 200 documented cases worldwide and just about 15 in India. The condition, known as 'fetus in fetu,' is a phenomenon in which a baby is discovered in the stomach of the woman's unborn child! As per reports, doctors couldn't detect it in the earlier part of her pregnancy as the condition is unpredictable and extremely rare. While it isn't sure what exactly leads to this condition, doctors say it can happen during the development of identical twins. The baby inside the unborn child, or the 'parasitic twin,' cannot survive independently either, as per reports.
Will she have a normal delivery?
According to doctors from Buldhana, the baby will require immediate and intensive medical care after the birth, but the mother can have a normal delivery. According to the National Institute of Health, a true placenta is usually absent in these cases. It is also usually not formed properly due to various pressures exerted on it by the host organ. In 2011, a two-month-old infant was admitted to the hospital due to a gradually increasing lump in her stomach since birth. At clinical examination, it was found that the mass inside her body had 'fetal parts.' Doctors could remove the mass completely from her body and it was confirmed as an earlier case of 'fetus in fetu.'