In what is being hailed as a rare birth event, doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center delivered a premature baby that was still completely encased in the amniotic sac. The condition is called an "en caul" birth and only occurs in one in every 80,000 births, according to the hospital's Facebook post.
Thanks to the photo taken by the doctor who delivered baby Silas Philips, the world gets a glimpse at this rare medical event. The baby is clearly seen curled in the fetal position with hands pressed against the clear sac. Throughout the birth, the baby was receiving oxygen via the placenta.
Mother Chelsea Philips said that when her mother showed her the image she thought it was “really cool to see” and that Silas has been a “little fighter” since the moment he was born.
Though the baby boy was born premature at 26 weeks, he is considered healthy. According to the CNN report, he should be able to go home around his original due date.
