A 42-year-old woman in Somaliland lived with a calcified fetal mass in her abdomen for three years before doctors removed it surgically. The mass, measuring approximately 7 by 5 inches (18 by 13 centimeters), contained recognizable fetal bones and was diagnosed as a lithopedion, sometimes called a “stone baby.” Her abdominal pain resolved after surgery, according to a 2026 case report.
A pregnancy that went undiagnosed
The woman sought medical care after experiencing chronic, dull pain in her lower abdomen for three years. She also felt a sensation of heaviness in her abdomen, which had worsened over the preceding few months.
Doctors learned that three years earlier she had experienced symptoms that appeared to indicate pregnancy. As her abdomen enlarged, she recalled feeling “fetal movements,” according to the case report. The movement eventually stopped, the abdominal growth ceased and the enlargement gradually subsided. She did not seek medical attention during or after the apparent pregnancy.
Imaging revealed fetal bones
During a physical examination, doctors found a hard, irregular mass extending up to her belly button. The mass barely moved when touched. Blood tests showed mild anemia, while her white blood cell count and kidney and liver tests were normal. A pregnancy test was negative.
An ultrasound scan revealed a calcified mass and an empty uterus. Calcification occurs when calcium accumulates in tissue, causing it to harden.
Doctors then ordered a computed tomography (CT) scan to examine the mass in greater detail and create a three-dimensional model. The scan showed clearly identifiable fetal skeletal structures, including a skull, spinal column, ribs, and bones from the arms and legs.
The doctors diagnosed the woman with lithopedion. The term comes from the Greek words lithos, meaning “stone,” and paidion, meaning “child.”
How lithopedion develops
In a typical pregnancy, an egg is fertilized in a fallopian tube, travels to the uterus and implants in the uterine lining. Lithopedion can begin with an abdominal ectopic pregnancy, in which an embryo implants in the lining of the abdominal cavity instead of inside the uterus.
The developing fetus may share space with organs such as the stomach, kidneys and appendix. Abdominal pregnancies are rare and can be extremely dangerous because the placenta may attach directly to abdominal organs and blood vessels, creating a risk of fatal internal bleeding.
If a fetus dies after growing too large for the mother’s body to break down and absorb, the immune system may treat the retained tissue as foreign. The body can gradually deposit calcium around the fetal remains, forming a protective shell. In this case, doctors concluded that the calcified fetus was likely responsible for the woman’s chronic abdominal pain and increasing abdominal weight.
Surgery resolved the symptoms
Doctors performed abdominal surgery to remove the calcified fetal mass completely from the woman’s pelvis.
The day after surgery, she developed a mild fever and nausea, but both symptoms resolved with treatment. Her condition improved during her hospital stay, and she was discharged in good condition.
At follow-up appointments over the next six months, the woman was healing well and reported that her abdominal pain had completely resolved.
A rare medical condition
About 340 cases of lithopedion have been recorded in the medical literature over the past 400 years. The earliest recorded case dates to 1582.
Many recent cases have been diagnosed in postmenopausal women, making this woman’s case notable because she was 42. Women typically reach menopause at around age 51 or 52. In some cases, an ectopic pregnancy occurs during a woman’s childbearing years and the calcified remains stay in her body for decades before symptoms appear. For example, a 74-year-old woman in India reported carrying her “stone baby” for more than 30 years. In contrast, the woman in this case retained the calcified mass for only three years.
The case also highlights the challenges of maternal health care in resource-limited settings such as Somaliland, where limited access to routine prenatal care and early pregnancy scans can delay diagnosis. The doctors noted that advanced three-dimensional imaging and a complete surgical recovery showed that successful outcomes are possible even in constrained medical environments.
The case was reported by Ali, A.M.H., Mohamed, A.O., and Ibrahim, K.J. in 2026 in the International Medical Case Report Journal, Volume 19, pages 1–8, under the title “Stone removal surgery for suspected first abdominal pregnancy in a 42-year-old Somaliland woman: case report and literature review.”
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice.
Source: www.livescience.com