The woman had the scan on February 1 and has since welcomed a baby boy.
After the surgery, Dr. Agarwal discussed the unique nature of the case, sharing knowledge that only 10-15 instances of fetus-in-fetu have been reported in India.
The condition was spotted via a 35-week ultrasound scan (Getty Stock Image)
“I was fortunate and attentive enough to notice something unusual about this baby, a normally growing fetus with some bones and a fetus-like mass in its abdomen,” the doctor remarked.
“It immediately struck me that this was abnormal. It was fetus-in-fetu, one of the rarest conditions globally. We sought a second opinion, and radiologist Dr. Shruti Thorat confirmed our findings.”
Regarding the origin of fetus-in-fetu, one theory suggests it may be “a highly differentiated variant of a teratoma (an abnormal growth of cells),” according to ISUOG.
The newborn baby boy’s surgery went well and he’s now recovering (Getty Stock Image)
Another hypothesis involves parasitic twins. The Cleveland Clinic elaborates that this refers to “a conjoined twin phenomenon where one fetus ceases to grow while remaining physically connected to its sibling.”
“The surviving twin continues to develop, often being born with attached limbs, organs, or other tissue structures from the parasitic twin. This is a highly uncommon condition,” the website adds.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
