The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
36-year-old skeleton of dead baby found inside Indian woman
Doctors removed the skeleton believed to have come from an ectopic pregnancy in 1978
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Doctors in India have removed a baby’s skeleton from inside its mother, nearly four decades after the unborn infant died.
Kantabai Thakre became pregnant in 1978, aged 24, but doctors warned the ectopic pregnancy had little chance of success.
Terrified of an operation, the young mother fled home and sought treatment for the pain in a small clinic near the village where she lived.
After a few months the pain subsided and Mrs Thakre was convinced she had been cured.
However, last week the pains returned and Mrs Thakre, now 60, visited doctors in the central Indian city of Nagpur.
Having found a lump on the lower right side of her abdomen, doctors at the NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences were concerned about cancer but an MRI scan revealed the hard mass was in fact the skeleton of her unborn child.
Speaking to The Times of India, Dr Murtaza Akhtar, head of surgery at the hospital, said last week: "It was after the patient underwent a MRI that the doctors could make out that the mass was in fact a child's skeleton".
Doctors have now removed the skeleton.
After searching medical records, the team of doctors believe this may be the longest ectopic pregnancy on record.
The previous longest ectopic pregnancy, when the foetus develops outside of the womb, was a Belgium woman who carried the remains of the failed pregnancy for 18 years.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments