WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC (BUT PRETTY COOL) CONTENT
Amazing images show a baby in Brazil that was born inside the amniotic sac - an extremely rare event that occurs in just one in 80,000 births.
The baby's mother gave birth to twins Brayan and Emanuel at a hospital in the southern Brazilian city of Criciuma on 5 November.
Advert
Often twin births involve a caesarian section, and the amniotic sac is broken.
However, the twins' mother Keila Barbon Henrique not only gave birth vaginally, she also did so with Emanuel still inside the liquid-filled amniotic sac.
Advert
Despite being very rare, births like Emanuel's are not dangerous.
Keila and the baby's father, Gilmar Concatto da Silva, live in the neighbouring municipality of Forquilhinha.
Brayan was born weighing 2.546kg (5.613lbs) and measuring 44cm (17.3in), while Emanuel - the younger twin by nine minutes - weighed 2.346kg (5.172lbs) and measuring 44.5cm (17.5in).
Advert
Emanuel was removed from the transparent membranes by the medical team.
The mother and twins are all doing well, according to doctors at the hospital.
Last year, similar images surfaced that showed another baby delivered while still inside his amniotic sac.
Advert
The little boy was delivered by caesarean section at 36 weeks in Fuzhou, Fujian, East China, weighing 2.5kg (5.5lbs).
Medics at the Fujian Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital said they decided to deliver the baby while in the sac - also known as 'en caul' - during an emergency C-section in July this year after discovering that the baby was in the breach position.
The boy didn't breathe on his own for around two minutes after he was delivered, until doctors cut the protective sac open.
Doctor Pan said: "Newborns usually cry shortly after being born as their respiratory system is introduced to the new surroundings.
Advert
"But when this boy was born, still in his amniotic sac, it was as if he were still in his mother's womb.
"It was not until doctors opened the membrane and cleared the amniotic fluid from his respiratory system that he began to cry - a full two minutes later than normal babies."
Doctors decided to deliver the baby due to various complications, including the infant being in breach position and a condition called velamentous cord insertion, which means the umbilical cord doesn't attach in the centre of the placenta as it should.
Doctor Pan continued: "We opted for this procedure because preterm babies are weaker than full-term babies.
"As premature births are among the main reasons for infant mortality, an en caul birth allows the newborn to be delivered inside the same protective membrane.
"This reduces moisture loss on the skin, avoids rapid temperature loss after a preterm birth, and decreases the risk of the infant being harmed during a C-section.
"Even if an en caul delivery were unsuccessful, the baby could then be delivered via a traditional C-section, so it's just one more option to have."
Featured Image Credit: NewsflashTopics: World News, News