A 42-year-old woman in Somaliland was found to have been carrying the calcified remains of a fetus in her abdomen for approximately three years after an apparent pregnancy ended without medical attention.
The rare condition, known as a "stone baby" or lithopedion, came to light when she sought treatment for persistent abdominal pain. The case was reported by Live Science, citing a medical study published in the International Medical Case Reports Journal.
Three years of unexplained abdominal pain
The woman had experienced dull lower abdominal pain and a growing feeling of heaviness for three years, with symptoms worsening in recent months.
During questioning, she recalled experiencing signs of pregnancy three years earlier, including abdominal enlargement and what she described as "fetal movements".
However, the movements eventually stopped, and her abdomen gradually returned towards its previous size. She never sought medical attention during or after the suspected pregnancy.
When doctors examined her, they discovered a hard, irregular mass extending towards her belly button. Blood tests revealed anaemia, while a pregnancy test returned negative.
CT scan reveals fetal skeleton
{{/usCountry}}When doctors examined her, they discovered a hard, irregular mass extending towards her belly button. Blood tests revealed anaemia, while a pregnancy test returned negative.
CT scan reveals fetal skeleton
{{/usCountry}}An ultrasound showed a calcified mass outside an empty uterus, prompting doctors to conduct a CT scan with three-dimensional reconstruction.
The images revealed a fetal skeleton, including a skull, spine, ribs and limb bones, enclosed within a calcified mass measuring approximately 18 by 12 by 10 centimetres.
Doctors diagnosed lithopedion, a condition in which a fetus dies during an abdominal pregnancy and becomes calcified rather than being absorbed by the mother's body.
In such cases, calcium gradually builds up around the retained fetal remains, helping isolate them from surrounding tissues.
Doctors successfully remove 'stone baby'
Surgeons performed an abdominal operation to remove the calcified fetus from the woman's pelvic cavity.
She experienced a mild fever and nausea the following day, but both symptoms resolved with treatment. She was subsequently discharged in good condition.
Follow-up examinations over six months confirmed complete relief from abdominal pain and satisfactory healing.
Only around 340 cases documented
According to the published medical case report, approximately 330 to 340 cases of lithopedion have been documented over the past four centuries.
Unlike many previously reported cases involving older women who unknowingly carried fetal remains for decades, this patient was diagnosed at 42 after approximately three years.
The researchers highlighted the importance of accessible prenatal healthcare and early pregnancy scans, particularly in resource-limited regions where such complications may remain undetected.