A baby girl named Itzamara survived being born with twin sister growing inside her baby.

She was born on February 22 in a rare example of a ‘foetus-in-foetu’ birth, first described in 1808. Doctors successfully performed surgery to remove the 1.8 inches and 0.5oz twin inside her as it didn’t have a beating heart or a brain.

The girl’s mother, Monica Vega, said that doctors found something inside Itzamara’s abdomen when she was seven months pregnant.

It was the baby’s twin sister growing inside her small belly in its own amniotic sac, with legs, arms and umbilical cord, according to Los Informantes.

Dr. Miguel Parra said he believes it is the first time the case has been diagnosed during pregnancy. He said: “I have never heard of anything like this in my entire life. I really did not expect this to happen.”

He explained to The Herald: “’It’s difficult explaining to someone that they’re experiencing that happens in one in a million because obviously they have never heard of it, ever seen it, and in fact most people don’t know this happens,’ he explained to The Herald.

“She was surprised and in disbelief, but after we showed them photos, videos, and scientific evidence they understood the phenomenon and allowed us to go ahead with the necessary steps [to handle it].”

Doctors delivered the baby girl in the 37th week so that the twin fetus inside her would not continue to grow as it could affect her organs.

The baby was delivered successfully and underwent surgery to remove her sibling. She is now in a stable condition.

Foetus-in-fetu occurs once in every 200,000 pregnancies. Children will probably become conjoined if the embryo divides during the second week.

But in this case, the embryo split after the 17th day.

Itzamara is now recovering in hospital and is in healthy condition, with barely any signs of impact or damage to her abdomen.

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