The literature of medical science has only been recorded for about 400 years. This means that we do not have all the medical examples in human history, but there are a number of them. Indeed, the human body never ceases to surprise us. So recently, a pregnant woman discovered that she was allergic to her own foetus.
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A 75-year-old pregnant woman
On average, fertility in women decreases from the age of 30, then significantly after 37, due to a decrease in the number and quality of eggs, with age. So, this incredible story of this 75-year-old Moroccan woman from Casablanca left everyone stunned.
Lithopedion: Stone baby
— Anthony Eri👑 (@AnthonyC_Eri) January 5, 2022
In 1955, a Moroccan woman known as Zahra Aboutalib went into labor, but wasn't delivered of the baby even after 48 hours.
In the labor room, Zahra saw a woman die in labor. Terrified by what she saw, Zahra ran away from the hospital. #SOUTOTpic.twitter.com/EQV4AEwI8D
In July 2002, Zahara Boutaleb, then aged 75, suffered violent abdominal and lumbar pains. She was rushed to a hospital in Rabat, Morocco, where doctors found the unthinkable after a series of tests. They discovered not a tumour, but a 3.7 kg, 42 cm fossilised foetus that had been nestling close to her for over 46 years.
46 years with a 4 kg foetus!
According to AsiaOne, in 1955 when Zahara was pregnant with the child, she tried giving birth at home, however, after intense labour, she was unable to give birth and was rushed to the hospital for aid. The doctors told her that she would require surgery, but due to the fear of operation, she fled the hospital. After some time the pain 'miraculously' stopped.
At nine months, the baby's heart stopped beating. But, as it was not expelled, the foetus turned into a 'stone baby', or 'lithopedion' in medical terms. The reason why the elderly woman never suffered complications or infections was that a shell of calcium, produced by her body, isolated the fossilised child.
This article was translated from Oh!MyMag FR.
Sources used:
Asia One, 'Medical marvels: Woman pregnant for 46 years'
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⋙ 19-year-old woman gives birth to twins with two separate fathers
