What was believed to be stomach cramps actually turned out to be a growing baby in a woman's bowel.
Stomach Cramps Turn Out To Be Fetus Growing in Bowel
In a rare case of a medical anomaly, a woman was shocked to find out that she was pregnant with a fetus that was developing in her bowel. Her case was documented in the case study "Abdominal Ectopic Pregnancy."
The 37-year-old woman sought medical assistance after experiencing severe pain in the abdomen and a worsening bloat for 10 days. However, what she thought to be stomach cramps was revealed to be the pregnancy of a fetus that was "normally formed."
Her rare case is considered an abdominal ectopic pregnancy, which refers to when a fertilized egg implants in the abdominal cavity outside of the uterus. Such a case only makes up around 1% of already rare ectopic pregnancies.
Based on the case study, the pregnancy had potential complications, including fetus death or hemorrhaging. Hence, the mother had to be brought to a tertiary hospital. The baby was then delivered at 29 weeks old and was sheltered in the neonatal intensive care unit.
While infants are already viable at a gestation period of 24 weeks, their survival rate is only around 60% to 70%. However, survival rates at 28 weeks are significantly higher, going up to 80% to 90%.
Three months after the mother gave birth, the mother and the baby were discharged from the hospital.
Read also: Organ Displacement During Pregnancy: How Does a Woman's Body Shift To Make Room For a Growing Baby
Ectopic Pregnancies
Ectopic pregnancies take place when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus' main cavity.
Most cases of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube. This is where eggs are carried from the ovaries up until the uterus. Such a case is known as a tubal pregnancy. There are also cases where ectopic pregnancy can take place in other body parts, including the abdominal cavity, ovary, and cervix.
Ectopic pregnancies only account for less than 2% of total pregnancies. They most commonly involve the fallopian tube.
Such kinds of pregnancies cannot proceed the same way as a normal pregnancy. The eggs may not be able to survive. Moreover, the tissue could also lead to life-threatening bleeding if it is left untreated.
The symptoms of ectopic pregnancies may not be initially obvious. However, women who experience ectopic pregnancy could exhibit the usual early signs of pregnancy, including a missed period, nausea, and tenderness in the breast. Ectopic pregnancies also lead to positive pregnancy test results.
These signs and symptoms gradually become more noticeable as the egg grows in the incorrect region. In several cases, the first signs of an ectopic pregnancy are pelvic pain and light bleeding in the vagina. Specific symptoms could depend on the specific irritated nerves and on where blood collects.
In the case of tubal pregnancy, if the fertilized eggs keep on growing in the fallopian tube, it may lead to rupturing and heavy abdominal bleeding. This life-threatening event could result in symptoms of shock, fainting, or lightheadedness.
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