American Nurse Gives Birth to Healthy Baby After Rare Ectopic Abdominal Pregnancy
An American nurse from California gave birth to a healthy baby boy following one of the rarest recorded pregnancy cases—an ectopic abdominal pregnancy concealed by a massive ovarian cyst, defying fetal survival odds of less than one in a million.
According to an Associated Press report, Soz Lopez believed her abdominal swelling was caused by an enlarging ovarian cyst. However, the 41-year-old nurse from Bakersfield was surprised to discover she was carrying a near-term fetus in an extremely rare condition that prompted doctors to plan its publication in a scientific study.
Lopez stated she experienced none of the usual pregnancy symptoms: no morning sickness, no fetal movement, and no regular menstrual cycle, as her period had been delayed for years. As pain and pressure increased, she decided to undergo surgery to remove the cyst, which weighed about 10 kilograms. However, a CT scan revealed a fetus, and tests confirmed a positive pregnancy.
At Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, ultrasounds and MRI scans showed her uterus was empty. Dr. John Ozimek, medical director of labor and delivery at the hospital, explained that the fetus, still inside the amniotic sac, was attached to the liver and appeared implanted in the pelvic wall. He added that while abdominal pregnancies occur in approximately one out of every 30,000 cases, those that reach full term are exceptionally rare—far less than one in a million—describing the event as “truly incredible.”
Ectopic pregnancies are highly dangerous as they can rupture and cause severe bleeding, with fetal mortality rates reaching 90 percent.
On August 18, doctors performed a delivery for the baby, who weighed 3.6 kilograms, while simultaneously removing the cyst. Ozimek mentioned that Lopez lost a significant amount of blood, but the medical team managed to control the hemorrhage and provide a blood transfusion. Her husband, Andrew Lopez, said he did nothing but pray, fearing the loss of either his wife or child.
Both the mother and baby have recovered well. Soz Lopez said, “God blessed us with this blessing, and it is the best blessing ever.”
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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