Re: [ozmidwifery] Read in the newspaper

[James & Stephanie Fairbairn]

Hi Deb, I have heard of multiple foetuses that have since died in utero and while most get reabsorbed, some organs and body tissues can be bizzarely absorbed by the living foetus and go on to be born.  It is very common (I believe 1:5 pregnancies start off as twins or more) and only one foetus goes on to maturation, logically this means that some stem cells will remain and could proliferate into organs or - extremely rarely as this case is - go on to become a complete foetus. I have never heard of this situation before, but I'm sure that if proved 'truth is stranger than fiction'!! Steph, Adelaide. ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 3:51 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] Read in the newspaper I came across a single paragraph in the Weekly Telegraph (i.e. the overseas weekly version of the UK Daily Telegraph) about a six month old baby boy in China  who was operated on because of a distended stomach.  A dead fetus of 3lb was found in the boy's stomach.  Dr's said the dead baby grew inside the boy when he was inside his mother's uterus. Now I'm not one to slavishly believe everything that I read in the newspapers, but the Telegraph is a fairly reputable newspaper.  Did anyone else read about this?  Has it been heard of before? Debbie Slater Perth, WA