In a bizarre case, a Masvingo woman who went into labour on Wednesday evening, left nursing staff at the provincial hospital’s maternity wing stunned after giving birth to twins, one of them headless. The other baby, who appeared normal, died a few minutes after delivery as it had an extraordinarily big head, a condition medical experts said was incompatible with life.
While hospital authorities refused to disclose the identity of the woman who was still admitted in hospital yesterday, sources said her condition was stable. Sources at the hospital said nursing staff who helped the woman to deliver were left shell-shocked after she gave birth to a headless child after prematurely going into labour.
The duration of the pregnancy could not be established when the woman eventually gave birth to the premature twins. Acting Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeus Shamu yesterday confirmed the birth of a headless child at Masvingo General Hospital, saying the situation was caused by congenital abnormalities.
“It is true there is a case like that, but it is very rare to have such a situation though it is generally known as a congenital abnormality, which is basically a deformation that occurs to a foetus during the early stages of pregnancy,’’ he said.
“The headless foetus was incompatible with life after premature birth, while the other twin which was born alive, but with a very big head, died after a few minutes,’’ added Dr Shamu.
He said the mother of the twins was still detained to monitor her condition.-Herald
