A Colombian woman’s joy at giving birth to twins quickly turned to astonishment when doctors realized that one of the babies wasn’t quite what they expected. What was initially thought to be an anomaly on the fetus’s liver turned out to be a half-formed infant, with its own umbilical cord drawing nourishment from its larger twin.
This incredibly rare case, known as fetus-in-fetu, is a phenomenon where one twin absorbs the other in utero, resulting in the development of a parasitic twin within the body of the surviving twin. While cases of fetus-in-fetu are exceedingly rare, occurring in about one in every 500,000 births, they are not unprecedented.
What made this case even more remarkable was that doctors were able to identify the parasitic twin during the pregnancy itself, thanks to advanced ultrasound techniques. At 35 weeks gestation, a 3D/4D ultrasound revealed the presence of the parasitic twin, prompting doctors to take action.
The baby girl, named Itamara, was delivered early via C-section at 37 weeks to prevent any further complications. A day later, surgeons performed keyhole surgery to remove the 45mm parasitic twin, which sadly did not survive outside the womb.
Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding her birth, Itamara is now in perfect health, with minimal impact on her abdomen. Her miraculous story has captivated medical professionals and the public alike, shedding light on the rare but fascinating phenomenon of fetus-in-fetu.
While cases like Itamara’s are incredibly rare, they serve as a reminder of the incredible complexities of human development and the miracles that can occur in the womb.
