Woman Carried a “Stone Baby” in Her Abdomen for Three Years Without Knowing the Cause of Her Pain
10:42 30 October, 2026A 42-year-old woman from Somaliland sought medical attention after experiencing chronic lower abdominal pain and a growing sensation of heaviness for three years. An examination revealed an extremely rare complication of ectopic pregnancy: the fetus had died, and its tissues had gradually hardened due to calcium deposits, forming a stone-like mass. Doctors surgically removed it, after which the patient's chronic pain disappeared, researchers reported in a medical case study published in the International Medical Case Reports Journal.
According to the woman, she had experienced signs of pregnancy approximately three years before seeking medical attention. Her abdomen gradually enlarged, and she felt movements that she believed were those of the baby. However, the movements eventually stopped, her abdomen stopped growing, and its size gradually decreased. She did not seek medical care at the time.
During the examination, doctors discovered a firm, almost immobile mass in the lower abdomen that extended up to the level of the navel. Blood tests revealed anemia, while a pregnancy test was negative. An ultrasound examination showed that the mass had hardened and that the uterine cavity was empty.
To clarify the diagnosis, the medical team performed a computed tomography (CT) scan with 3D reconstruction. The images revealed the fetal skeletal structures, including the skull, spine, ribs, and limb bones. The mass measured approximately 18 × 12 × 10 centimeters.
This condition is known as lithopedion, or a “stone baby.” It occurs in rare cases of abdominal ectopic pregnancy, when a fetus develops outside the uterus. If the fetus dies and the body cannot fully absorb its tissues, calcium salts gradually accumulate around them. As a result, a hard mass forms, which can sometimes remain in the abdominal cavity for years.
Doctors performed surgery and completely removed the mass, which was surrounded by dense fibrous tissue. The following day, the patient developed a mild fever and nausea, but these symptoms were successfully treated. Her subsequent recovery was uneventful: follow-up examinations over six months confirmed proper healing, and her chronic pain had completely disappeared.
According to the medical report, approximately 330–340 cases of lithopedion have been described in scientific literature over the past four centuries. In some cases, the hardened mass was discovered decades after the pregnancy. In this case, the diagnosis was made approximately three years after the presumed pregnancy.
The authors emphasize that this is a rare clinical case. The story also highlights the challenges of timely diagnosis of pregnancy complications in regions where access to healthcare is limited.