One of the episodes of the popular British series Call the nurses she pointed to a rare phenomenon known as lithopedion. It is a complication related to an ectopic pregnancy, in which a woman carries a petrified fetus in her body. , doctors have also seen cases where the condition went unnoticed for decades.
- Experts have drawn attention to a condition called lithopedion, known as “stone child”.
- Lithopedion occurs in rare complications of ectopic pregnancy.
- There are only about 330 documented cases in the world.
Dr. Deborah Lee, a specialist in sexual and reproductive health, explained that lithopedions are incredibly rare because of the specific conditions that are required for them to form.. “This phenomenon of ectopic pregnancy, also called ‘stone baby’, causes the dead fetus to remain in the abdominal cavity and petrify over time,” she said.
About 90 percent of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube, the remaining 10 percent can be located anywhere in the abdominal cavity, including the ovary, cervix or at the site of a scar from a previous caesarean section. The uterus is the only organ designed to expand, supply the fetus with blood, and safely nourish it. Therefore, the chance of a child surviving an ectopic pregnancy is very small.
In some cases, a “stone baby” can arise in the mother’s body. (illustrative photo)
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This condition is very rare
When an ectopic pregnancy fails, the tissue is usually absorbed as part of the mother’s body’s natural processes. However, if the fetus is older than 12 weeks, it already has a developed skeleton and is too large for the body to absorb. The mother’s immune system recognizes the dead fetus as a foreign body and coats it with calcium to protect the body from infection. Experts call this process a type of mummification. This mass can remain in the body for months or years.
It should be emphasized that this phenomenon is extremely rare. Only 1.5 percent of these pregnancies turn into lithopedion, and around 330 cases have been reported worldwide. “Today, thanks to advances in prenatal care and detailed imaging, these cases are rarer than they once were. Health professionals are well trained and know how to differentiate between intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy. Women also have better access to health care,” Dr. Lee said.
The researchers pointed out that the risk of lithopedion is higher in women from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, with a lower level of health awareness and limited access to prenatal care. “Strong religious beliefs or cultural influences can discourage women from seeking help early in pregnancy,” said Dr. Lee with that asymptomatic cases are often discovered by doctors only after death at autopsy.
