In a rare medical case, doctors at the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMCRI) here discovered that a newborn baby boy was carrying a partially developed fetus inside his body.
According to hospital sources, a pregnant woman from Kundgol was admitted to KMCRI’s maternal and child department for her second delivery. On September 23, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. However, during examination, doctors were astonished to find that the infant had another fetus inside his abdomen.
An ultrasound confirmed the presence of a fetus with a spinal cord and an MRI has been recommended for further evaluation, Medical Superintendent Dr. Eshwar Hasabi said.
The child is suffering from a rare congenital condition called ‘Fetus in Fetu’ (FIFS). As defined by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NIH), fetus in fetu is an anomaly where a malformed fetus grows inside the body of its twin. It is considered a parasitic twin, distinct from a teratoma — a tumour-like growth with malignant potential that lacks organized development.
Medical experts has noted that the mass may appear in unusual locations, including the skull, sacrum or even inside the mouth and may display rudimentary structures such as a spinal column or organ buds, though these never fully develop or function.
While conjoined twins occur once in every 50,000 to 200,000 births, cases of fetus in fetu are far rarer, with only a handful reported worldwide. Despite modern advances in medical imaging, doctors say the condition has never been detected before birth.
The case at KMCRI has drawn medical attention for its rarity, and doctors are now closely monitoring the newborn before deciding on surgical intervention.
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