9-Year-Old Girl Had Twin in Stomach

May 15, 2008

A Greek girl carried her twin for nine years. According to an Associated Press article, the young lady had stomach pains and a swollen belly so doctors went in to remove what they thought was a tumor. It turned out to be the child's embryonic twin, which was over two inches long. It said:

Andreas Markou, head of the hospital's pediatric department, said the embryo was a formed fetus with a head, hair, and eyes, but no brain or umbilical cord.

The doctor also said that cases where one twin absorbs the other while in the womb occur in one in 500,000 live births. The parents of the girl who has recovered did not want her identity released to the public.
Source

18 Comments

kurniakasih 5 years 1 week

This freaked me out yesterday when they had it on the news.

Nyrina Windu 5 years 1 week

I've seen television specials about this sort of thing too. But this is the first time I've read about this particular one.

runningesq 5 years 1 week

I think it's called "fetus in fetu" (fetus within fetus?)... I've seen a couple specials about it.

kiwitwist 5 years 1 week

This is crazy! I hope that little girl doesn't blame herself for her twin dying. I know she shouldn't but she is 9. They make it sounds like she ate her twin. I know that sounds so wrong, LOL!

anniekim 5 years 1 week

This would freak me out.

anniekim 5 years 1 week

This would freak me out.

lickety split 5 years 1 week

i don't understand why this was released to the media. it's a freak show item.

GlowingMoon 5 years 1 week

Wow, bizarre. Call me insensitive, but I don't understand why this is sad. The embryo was not viable. It had no brain or umbilical cord. I suppose, in my personal definition, it didn't have "life." I know this sounds controversial, but it's my opinion.