In an utterly bizarre medical incident, a 4-month-old baby boy "gave birth" to two other babies on Monday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

"These are what are known in medical jargon as 'parasitic fetuses'," said Liu Weiguang, supervising pediatrician on the boy's case.

 "They are originally supposed to be twins or triplets, but somehow get 'subsumed' by the larger, more healthy fetus."

Both fetuses were removed from the anonymous boy's stomach, with the larger of the two fetuses the size of the boy's head and the smaller one the size of his fist.

According to Liu, if not removed, parasitic fetuses can present a serious health threat to the host, as they often compete for resources, despite often lacking limbs or internal organs.

"They always eventually die inside the host - a situation which also presents its own problems," Liu said. "They should be removed immediately if discovered."

The boy's mother said that her son was conceived naturally, without any fertilization treatment.

zjol.com