Scientists have examined the mummy of a pregnant teenage mother found in Egypt. Photo
Scientists have examined the mummy of a teenage girl who was pregnant with twins and died during childbirth in ancient Egypt.
They found that the head of the first-born child was stuck in the birth canal, leading to the deaths of both babies and the mother, according to a report on the study's results in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, as reported by Arkeonews.
It is noted that the girl died during childbirth over 1,500 years ago. Scientists determined that she was between 14 and 17 years old.
The mummy of the teenage mother was discovered in the Egyptian city of Kharga in the cemetery of El Bagawat in 1908. Her body was treated with "a lot of salt," which was an ancient Egyptian practice for preserving the dead. The mummy is dated to the Late Dynasty period in ancient Egyptian history, spanning 404-343 BC.
Historical records indicate that a fetus and placenta were found between the legs of the woman in labor. The researchers concluded that the woman died due to complications during childbirth.
Archaeologists suggest that when the mummy naturally deteriorated, the second unborn child likely moved from the womb to the chest cavity.
This study of a mummy of a mother and her children confirms how dangerous pregnancy and childbirth were at the time.
