Rare Intrahepatic Pregnancy Shocks Doctors in India
VARANASI, INDIA – In an remarkably rare medical event, doctors in India discovered a fetus developing within a woman’s liver, a condition known as intrahepatic pregnancy. The case,involving a woman named sarvesth,has captivated the medical community due to its unprecedented nature and the challenges it presents for both diagnosis and treatment.
Typically, a fertilized egg implants in the uterus.However, in approximately one percent of pregnancies, the egg implants outside the uterus – a condition called extra-uterine pregnancy.While most extra-uterine pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes, implantation in the liver is exceptionally uncommon. Prior to Sarvesth’s case, only 45 cases of intrahepatic pregnancy had been documented globally, including three previously recorded in India. The first such case reported in india occurred in 2012 at Lady Hardinge medical College in Delhi.
“A woman generally fell pregnant when the ovum released by her ovary is fertilized by a sperm,” explains Doctor Mamta Singh, professor in the Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology at the Institute of Medical Sciences in Varanasi. The fertilized egg then travels through the fallopian tubes towards the uterus for implantation and advancement. In rare instances, the egg remains in the fallopian tubes or attaches to another organ.
In Sarvesth’s case, the embryo implanted in her liver. Doctor Singh explains the liver’s rich blood supply initially provided a “fertile land” for the fetus, but ultimately proved unsustainable. doctor Monika Annant, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and gynecology at the Aiims of Patna, estimates that intrahepatic pregnancy occurs in roughly one in seven to eight million pregnancies worldwide.
The case highlights the critical need for heightened awareness of atypical presentations of ectopic pregnancies and the importance of advanced diagnostic imaging. Further research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to intrahepatic pregnancy and to develop strategies for early detection and management.
