Réunion Island, France – A woman’s visit to the hospital for persistent stomach cramps took an unexpected turn when doctors discovered she was pregnant, not in her uterus, but in her bowel.
According to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine, a 37-year-old woman sought emergency medical attention for abdominal discomfort lasting 10 days. Subsequent ultrasound examinations revealed an empty uterus and a rare case of abdominal pregnancy, classified as an unusual type of ectopic pregnancy.
The X-Ray image clearly depicts the fetus situated above the uterus in the abdominal cavity, defying the typical location within the uterus.
Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilized egg develops outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube. However, abdominal pregnancies, such as this one, are exceedingly rare, constituting only about 1% of ectopic pregnancies, as outlined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH notes that these pregnancies present a considerable risk, with maternal mortality rates seven to eight times higher than tubal ectopic pregnancies.
Recognizing the high-risk nature of this pregnancy, the woman was promptly transferred to a tertiary care hospital equipped to manage her condition. Doctors successfully delivered the baby through surgery at 29 weeks of gestation.
The newborn was subsequently admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit and was discharged two months later. The mother, remarkably, returned home just 25 days after giving birth.
Medical records indicate that prior to this ectopic pregnancy, the woman had experienced two uneventful vaginal deliveries and one miscarriage. The unexpected nature of this case highlights the complexity and rarity of abdominal pregnancies, showcasing the expertise required for successful management and delivery in such scenarios.
