Woman Pregnant for 46 Years

In 1955 a Moroccan woman, Zahra Aboutalib, became pregnant; at the time of delivery, she refused to have a Cesarean.  She, then, went home and suffered labor pains for a few more days; the baby stopped moving.  Instead of the woman going to the hospital and having the fetus removed, she declared that the baby had gone to sleep.  She decided to wait until the baby awaken on it’s own.

She went on to adopt three more children which she cared for and raised to adulthood.  After 46 years of carrying her first baby, she started having abdominal pains.  Her son took her to several doctors, but, obviously none of them thought to perform a pelvic examine because the woman was 75 years old.  However, one doctor did take an x-ray and discovered a mass inside her abdomen.

After examination, the doctor realized that the mass was actually a baby which had grown to full term and was still inside the Zahara’s body.  She had been pregnant for 46 years.  The baby was found to be ectopic and had attached itself to her organs, died, and had been entombed inside her body for 46 years.

What is ectopic pregnancy?

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In a normal pregnancy, the egg travels through the fallopian tubes, encounters sperm, then, attaches itself to the uterine wall.  In ectopic pregnancy the egg becomes fertilized inside the tubes and attaches itself inside the tubes.  This is dangerous for the mother because the fallopian tubes will expand just so far, then, become ruptured causing massive bleeding.  The baby, most often dies for lack of oxygen and nutrition.  In this woman’s case, the fallopian tube ruptured, but, the baby moved to the outside and attached itself to her abdominal wall.  Read more about ectopic pregnancy.

The doctors decided to remove Zahara’s baby, in spite of the dangers that could occur, because the baby was attached to vital organs.  The surgery took four hours.  During the surgery, the doctors discovered that the baby had calcified, turned to stone and was infused with her internal organs.  The final assessment is that if the doctors had tried to perform a Cesarean 46 years ago, Zahara would have bled to death.  Therefore, it seems quite bizarre, her refusing to have the initial Cesarean, but, that probably saved her life.

‘Pregnant for 46 Years’ aired on Discovery Fit and Health on September 25, 2011.  Hopefully, the site will add an online video, because it’s quite intense and I believe that many people will want to watch it.  I did find a Youtube clip.  Take note that the pregnancy started in 1955, not 1995 as the Youtuber states.  

My take on this is that pregnancy is serious business and shouldn’t be taken as lightly as it seems some women do, especially teen girls.  I think all teenage girls should watch this show; maybe they will think twice before entering into a physical relationship and understand the dangers which can occur.  Telling someone about the dangers and actually seeing it has a much different impact.  

If you get the chance to watch the show, please, do so.  There is another story within the episode that gives an account of a woman who is carrying twins, until she start having pains.  At that time the doctors discover that she has a third baby growing inside her, but, the third child is ectopic and is growing outside her womb.  The doctors deliver all three children, by Cesarean, safely and years later all three children are alive and healthy.

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