A pregnant woman endured months of worsening symptoms—foul odor, itching, and discharge—before delivering what appeared to be a healthy baby boy. But when doctors examined her postpartum,
they discovered vulvar myiasis, with live maggots infesting her genital area, a shocking complication never seen in the hospital's history during active pregnancy.
The Impossible Scenario
Flies had laid eggs in vulvar sores or neglected wounds amid pregnancy-related swelling and poor hygiene, hatching larvae that burrowed into tissue. The infestation thrived undetected, feeding on necrotic areas and causing extensive damage, compounded by concurrent infections like syphilis or warts in reported cases. Doctors nearly fainted at the wriggling mass extending toward the cervix, risking uterine spread and life-threatening sepsis for both mother and newborn.
This viral case, drawn from rare documented instances in young pregnant women, highlights how pregnancy vulnerability (immunosuppression, immobility) enables such "impossible" parasitic invasions in tropical or unsanitary conditions.
Dramatic Delivery and Cure
Post-delivery, medics manually extracted dozens of maggots under sedation, irrigated with permanganate or ivermectin solutions, and administered antibiotics. The mother recovered after weeks of care, though one similar case ended in spontaneous abortion due to severity. The baby remained unaffected, but the ordeal underscored urgent hygiene and screening needs.
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