14 DAY TRIAL // 91-year-old Estela Meléndez of La Boca, Chile, has been living with a calcified fetus hidden in her womb for decades now.
The unborn child was only discovered by doctors in recent weeks when, after suffering a fall, the elderly woman sought medical help.
Looking to make sure there were no fractures or maybe internal damage to tend to, doctors in the town of La Boca X-rayed her body in full.
Much to their surprise, they saw an abnormal mass in the woman's abdomen. Upon closer inspection, this mass was revealed to be a fetus.
The fetus has been dead for decades
The child Estela Meléndez never delivered is believed to have been conceived about 60 years ago. It is unclear why it died while still in its mother's womb.
In an interview, the 91-year-old woman confessed that she never realized that she was pregnant. What's more, she says she does not remember feeling ill about the time doctors say she lost the child.
As for the lump that appeared on her belly many years ago, Estela Meléndez says she never thought much of it, let alone suspect that is was a sign that she was carrying a lifeless fetus inside her.
The woman and her husband, whom she was married to for 74 years and who passed away back in this year's January, never had any children.
“We suffered tremendously because of this reason,” 91-year-old Estela Meléndez said in a statement, as cited by ABC 13.
Doctors will not remove the fetus
Considering the woman's age, medical experts agree it's best not to operate on her and try to remove the calcified fetus from her womb.
After all, Estela Meléndez says she feels fine and that, except for the lump on her belly, the fetus isn't causing her any discomfort.
About a year ago, in February 2014, another elderly woman was found to have been living with an unborn child in her abdomen for well over 4 decades.
She told doctors that she became pregnant around the age of 40 and that, when the pregnancy made her sick, she attempted to have the child aborted.
She got medicine from a witch doctor and so the fetus died. Already in its 20th week of development, if not more, the child turned to stone inside her.
