Egypt girl born with foetus in foetu, rare condition

Gulf Today Report

Doctors in Mansoura, in the Dakahlia Governorate, northeast of the Delta in Egypt, were surprised while examining a newborn baby, as they discovered what looked like a foetus inside her stomach.

The condition is scientifically known as “foetus in foetu”, and it is rare, as only 200 similar cases have been recorded worldwide so far.

Dr Ziad Mohammed Ismail, a consultant pediatrician and neonatologist, said that the parents of the newborn girl came to check on her after her delivery, and when conducting the tests, we found tumor in the child’s abdomen which was not seen by the naked eye.

He added that he forwarded the child to Dr Jamal Howaidi, a radiologist, who affirmed that there was a suspected tumor in the child's abdomen, in which a fetal structure was formed with vertebrae and blood.

Accordingly, the professors of pediatric surgery were contacted to perform a surgery to remove this tumor or foetus, and the girl was transferred to the Pediatric Surgery Department at the Children’s Hospital at Mansoura University.

Dr Ziad affirmed that the baby's condition is stable and there is no urgency for the surgery.

He added: "Doctors at Ain Shams Hospital previously performed a similar surgery, but the girl's family preferred to stay in Mansoura because of its geographical proximity."

Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Mansoura University Hospital, Adham Al Saeed, explained that some people think that this is a type of pregnancy, but it is not true.

He added: “What is inside the girl is not a fully-fledged fetus, but fetal cells from which a tumor called teratoma emerges.”

Al-Saeed stressed that the case needs more tests, including MRI, CT scans, and SONAR scans, and if a semi-complete spine is discovered, it is then called “foetus in foetu”, and it is a type of tumor which is removed like any other tumor. He added that the girl will be undergoing tests to ensure that the tumor is benign, as well we will examine the integrity of the heart through Echo rays, provided that surgery will take place next week to remove the tumor, which will often be benign, as there are no negative health repercussions for the girl.