A patient visited a medical facility complaining of a dull stomach ache and a sensation of heaviness in her abdomen. Physicians discovered a stone baby inside her belly, which she had carried for a duration of three years starting from when her stomach pains began.
Medical professionals detailing the patient's case in Dovepress noted that this condition is called lithopaedion, translating to a baby made of stone, and is exceptionally rare. This occurrence can happen following an ectopic pregnancy, where a fertilised egg implants outside the womb, typically in the fallopian tubes. Such an event happens in one in 90 pregnancies in the UK, rendering them unviable since the foetus cannot develop into an infant. Removal via medicine or surgery becomes necessary. Without removal, the foetus can trigger life threatening health complications for the mother, including catastrophic internal bleeding.
In rare instances, progressive calcification occurs after prolonged retention inside the maternal abdominal cavity, as took place for the 42-year-old patient. Residing in Somaliland, Africa, the woman stated she experienced stomach pains for three years alongside a progressive abdominal heaviness that worsened in recent months. Medics described the pain as dull, intermittent, and localised predominantly to the lower abdomen and pelvic region. She reported discomfort in her pelvic area without other symptoms. Physical examination revealed a patient who looked chronically ill yet remained conscious, alert, and oriented to time, place, and person.
Questioning revealed she experienced several symptoms three years prior indicating pregnancy. She remembered her abdomen growing over time and feeling foetal movements, which eventually stopped before her belly gradually shrank. She sought no medical care during or after that pregnancy. Physical examination of her abdomen by doctors uncovered a hard, irregular mass extending to her belly button that barely moved upon touch, while pregnancy tests yielded negative results. An ultrasound then exposed a calcified mass in her abdomen alongside an empty womb. Calcification involves a buildup of calcium hardening tissue into a solid mass.
Doctors conducted an advanced CT scan to build a 3D model for a clearer view of the object. Measuring roughly seven by five inches, the mass displayed clearly identifiable foetal skeletal structures like the skull, vertebral column, ribs, and long bones, suggesting a retained calcified foetus. Surgeons removed the lithopaedion. Discharged shortly after, the patient reported no further stomach pain during follow-up visits spanning six months. Report authors stated that around 340 cases of lithopaedion have appeared in medical literature over the past four centuries, establishing it as one of the rarest outcomes of an ectopic pregnancy, with the earliest documented case dating back to 1582. Because of its rarity and slow progression, a lithopaedion may remain undiagnosed for years. Symptoms can also be nonspecific, including chronic abdominal pain, a swollen belly, pelvic discomfort, or a palpable abdominal mass, often discovered solely during routine scans for other health complaints. Delayed diagnosis occurs frequently in resource limited settings where access to antenatal care, early pregnancy assessment, and advanced imaging modalities is restricted. This patient stood out at 42 years old, whereas many recent diagnoses involve women past the menopause. While three years is a long time to carry a calcified foetus, some women remain unaware of the condition for decades, such as a 73-year-old woman from Algeria who carried her stone baby for 35 years.
Signs of an ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy does not always cause symptoms and may only be detected during a routine pregnancy scan.
If you do have symptoms, they tend to develop between the fourth and twelfth week of pregnancy.
Symptoms can include a combination of:
- A missed period and other signs of pregnancy, nausea, tiredness and sore breasts
- Tummy pain low down on one side
- Vaginal bleeding or a brown watery discharge
In a few cases, an ectopic pregnancy can grow large enough to split open the fallopian tube. This is known as a rupture.
Ruptures are very serious, and surgery to repair the fallopian tube needs to be carried out as soon as possible.
Signs of a rupture include a combination of:
- A sharp, sudden and intense pain in your tummy
- Feeling very dizzy or fainting
- Feeling sick
Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E department immediately if you experience these symptoms.
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