A rare man has been found in Nagpur, Maharashtra with a bulging stomach similar to that of a pregnant woman. Sanju Bhagat has been given the nickname ‘pregnant man’. Bhagat's belly had an anomalous protrusion when he was small, unlike other children, but this was disregarded. However, as he was working on the farm in his 20s, his belly began to protrude at a startling rate. Bhagat kept working despite his financial difficulties, dealing with the jeers of his peers and worries from his family.
According to the report, he has been diagnosed with a rare medical condition called “fetus in fetu”, commonly known as “vanishing twin syndrome”. When one twin passes away and is reabsorbed during pregnancy, this syndrome develops. One twin is believed to be born within the other in this extremely unusual occurrence, which is thought to happen in only one in every 500,000 live births. When the bulge started pressing against his diaphragm and making it difficult for him to breathe in 1999, the condition took a dangerous turn. Finally, he was taken urgently to a Mumbai hospital.
What the doctors had to say?
At first when the doctors examined, they assumed that it was a tumor and suggested a surgery. Believing that it was a cancer they started the operation, later discovering a human body inside.- “He just inserted his hand and mentioned that there were numerous bones inside," recounted a doctor. "First, one limb came out, then another limb came out. Then, parts of the genitalia, hair, limbs, jaws, and hair. We were horrified. We were bewildered and amazed... To my surprise and horror, I could shake hands with someone inside. It was quite shocking for me," the doctor further said.
What is fetus in fetu?
Fetus in fetu (FIF) is an extremely rare condition that occurs during fetal development. It is not considered a disease, but rather a developmental anomaly. Fetus in fetu occurs when a mass of tissue resembling a fetus forms inside the body of its twin. Treatment for fetus in fetu involves surgical removal of the mass. The surgery can be complex, as the mass is usually closely intertwined with the tissues of the host twin.