- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Doctors removed the 7cm mass, which they suspects was a ‘fetus in fetu’
- Rare form of twin pregnancy is one of around 200 ever recorded worldwide
- The growth was noticed during a routine scan; the baby was born nine days later
- The unnamed baby and his 19-year-old mother are both healthy and doing well
Alexandra Thompson Health Reporter For Mailonline
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A baby boy was born ‘pregnant’ with his own twin brother.
Doctors discovered the half-formed male baby – complete with a brain, arm and legs – behind the otherwise-healthy baby boy’s stomach after he was born.
They successfully operated to remove the 7cm mass, which they suspect was a rare ‘foetus in fetu’ twin pregnancy – one of around 200 ever recorded in the world.
Radiologist Dr Bhavna Thorat, who spotted the problem during a routine scan, said: ‘It was inside a fetal sac of the newborn.’
The unnamed baby and his 19-year-old mother from Mumbra, in India, are both healthy and doing well.
A baby boy (pictured) was born ‘pregnant’ – with his own twin brother, but is now doing well
Doctors operated to remove the 7cm mass, which they suspect was a rare ‘foetus in fetu’
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WHAT IS A ‘FOETUS IN FETU’?
Foetus in fetu is an incredibly rare condition that affects only one in five million live births.
It is a condition where the malformed foetus is found in the body of its twin.
The foetus is found in the abdomen in 80 per cent of cases, although there have been reports of it occurring in the skull.
There are only around 200 reports of it ever happening.
While the diagnosis is gaining popularity, the World Health Organisation has classified ‘foetus in fetu’ as a variant of mature teratoma; a type of cancer where the tumour is well-developed.
‘I could see a tiny head with the brain inside’
Dr Thorat noticed the abnormality during a routine scan of the pregnant woman at Bilal Hospital in Mumbra in early July.
When the baby was born nine days later on July 20 he scanned the baby and found ‘another small baby’ inside the newborn’s abdomen.
Dr Thorat said: ‘I could see bones of the upper and lower limbs of the fetus.
‘The unique thing about it was I could see a tiny head with the brain inside.
‘However, this parasitic twin didn’t have a skull bone.’
The newborn was taken to Titan Hospital in Thane for surgery to remove the 150g mass.
Dr. Nichlani added: ‘The baby is now doing extremely well and the mother will begin feeding him soon.’
The half-formed baby was delivered from his brother with a brain, arm and legs but no skull
The condition can cause death if the fully-formed baby is starved of nutrition in the womb
After the unnamed baby’s birth, he was taken to Titan Hospital in Thane for surgery
The abnormality was noticed during a routine scan. The baby was born nine days later
‘It can lead to death’
Gynecologist Dr Neena Nichlani said: ‘It is a case of monozygotic twin pregnancy sharing single placenta, where one fetus wraps itself around and envelops the other and robs the host of its nutrition.
‘It can be implanted in skull, abdomen or tail bone of the host.
‘Sometimes it can also lead to the death of the host because both get nutrition from a single cord.’
Dr Nichlani said the baby has been sent for further testing, reports are awaited.
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