Premature Baby Born Inside His Own Amniotic Sac Astounds Doctors

It’s very rare for a baby to be born inside his amniotic sac, but that’s exactly what happened to newborn Silas Philips.

He astounded doctors after being born three months prematurely via a C-section, with his sac intact – known medically as an ‘en caul’ birth.

It’s a rare condition that only happens in one in 80,000 births, usually premature ones like Silas’.

During his mum’s caesarean section at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California, Silas was delivered, to the surgeon’s surprise, still in his sac.
 
Usually, the amniotic sac is cut through during a C-section and the chances of it remaining intact are incredibly rare.

During a vaginal birth, the sac of clear fluid that surrounds a baby while he’s in the womb usually breaks when a woman’s contractions start – hence the waters breaking.

Pictures show Silas curled up in the foetal position inside his sac after the birth, before the doctors got him out of there.

Amazingly, until the bag was broken, he was still getting a supply of oxygen through the placenta, which was in the bag with him.

As well as providing babies with fluids so they can breathe and swallow, the amniotic sac helps cushion the baby and keeps his temperature constant.

“Even though it sounds clichéd, we caught our breath,” Dr William Binder, who delivered Silas, told CBS. “It really felt like a moment of awe…. And one that will stick in my memory for some time.

“He was seconds old and still in the water bag, with the placenta and umbilical cord tucked inside.”

Silas’s mum, Chelsea, had no idea about her son’s unusual birth until Dr Binder showed her a pic of Silas in the sac. But it didn’t seem to phase her.

“It was actually really cool to see,” she said. “And when I heard that was actually really rare I was like “oh my gosh you’re a special little baby.”

Despite all the drama and his early arrival, Silas is doing really well.

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