In a sequence of events that stunned seasoned physicians and captivated medical observers worldwide, doctors in Los Angeles delivered a healthy baby boy while simultaneously removing a 22-pound ovarian tumor from his mother, Suze Lopez. The case unfolded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and quickly came to be described by doctors as a medical miracle because of its rarity, complexity, and high risk for both mother and child.
What began as a routine pre-surgical pregnancy test evolved into the discovery of an advanced abdominal ectopic pregnancy, a condition that is almost always nonviable and often life-threatening. Against extraordinary odds, the coordinated efforts of dozens of specialists resulted in the survival of both mother and baby, highlighting the limits of modern medicine and the remarkable unpredictability of human biology. For years, Suze Lopez, a 41-year-old nurse from Bakersfield, California, had been living with a large ovarian cyst that had gradually increased in size.
Its presence shaped her daily life and ultimately led her to schedule surgery for its removal. As part of standard hospital protocol, Lopez underwent a routine pregnancy test shortly before the operation. The positive result initially seemed implausible to her, given her long-standing ovarian issues and the size of the abdominal mass. Within days, however, further evaluation revealed a scenario so rare that many of the doctors involved would later say they had never encountered anything like it in their careers.
A Routine Test Reveals an Extraordinary Pregnancy
The turning point in the case came when Suze Lopez’s routine pregnancy test returned positive. At first, she doubted the result, suspecting it might be a false positive related to her ovarian condition. Her husband, Andrew Lopez, was similarly skeptical until the reality of the situation became unavoidable. Within days of learning she was pregnant, Lopez began experiencing abdominal pain, prompting her to seek immediate care at Cedars-Sinai.
Diagnostic imaging soon revealed a startling explanation. Suze Lopez was carrying an abdominal ectopic pregnancy, meaning the fetus was developing outside the uterus. In her case, the baby was located behind the massive ovarian tumor, positioned high in the abdomen beneath the spleen. This unusual placement explained why the pregnancy had gone unnoticed for so long. The growing fetus was effectively hidden by the already-enlarged ovarian mass, making it appear as though the tumor alone was responsible for her increasing abdominal size.
Dr. John Ozimek, medical director of labor and delivery at Cedars-Sinai, described the discovery as profound. A pregnancy developing so far outside the uterus and continuing to advance is considered almost unheard of in modern obstetrics. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes and are identified early because they cause severe symptoms or rupture. Abdominal ectopic pregnancies are far rarer and usually cannot support fetal development due to insufficient blood supply. In the vast majority of cases, such pregnancies end spontaneously or must be medically terminated to save the mother’s life.
A Southern California mom was prepped for surgery to remove a massive 22-pound ovarian tumor when doctors made a shocking discovery: a full-term, 8-pound baby boy was sitting right behind it.
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) December 11, 2025
The baby was an extremely rare abdominal pregnancy outside the uterus. Against all… pic.twitter.com/daz8cKMIZH
In Lopez’s case, however, the placenta had somehow established a blood supply sufficient to sustain the fetus. Doctors believe the tumor’s location and surrounding abdominal structures may have contributed to this unlikely outcome. Even so, the situation posed immediate and serious risks. The placenta was attached within the abdominal cavity rather than the uterus, raising the possibility of catastrophic bleeding during delivery. At the same time, the massive ovarian tumor had to be removed, as it posed its own significant health threats.
A High-Risk Surgical Plan Involving Dozens of Specialists
Once the diagnosis was confirmed, doctors faced a challenge that required meticulous planning and unprecedented coordination. The surgical goal was twofold: safely deliver the baby and remove the 22-pound ovarian tumor, all while preventing fatal hemorrhage and protecting the mother’s vital organs. Approximately 30 medical professionals were assembled for the operation, including maternal-fetal medicine specialists, gynecologic oncologists, anesthesiologists, neonatologists, nurses, and surgical support staff.
Dr. Michael Manuel, a physician involved in the case, later said that in his entire career he had never heard of an abdominal ectopic pregnancy reaching such an advanced stage. The rarity of the condition meant there was no standard playbook to follow. Each decision had to balance the immediate risks to Lopez with the goal of giving her baby the best possible chance of survival.
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During surgery, doctors first had to carefully lift the enormous dermoid cyst out of the way to access the baby. Time was critical. Once the fetus was delivered, he was immediately handed off to the neonatal intensive care unit team, who were prepared for potential respiratory or circulatory complications. Despite being born under such extraordinary circumstances, the baby, later named Ryu Lopez, weighed a healthy 8 pounds and showed surprisingly few health problems.
The most dangerous moment of the operation followed the delivery. As anticipated, Lopez began to hemorrhage due to the placenta’s abnormal attachment within the abdomen. Anesthesiologist Dr. Michael Sanchez had prepared for this possibility in advance, powering up a rapid blood transfusion system before the critical phase of surgery began. Over the course of the procedure, Lopez required 11 units of blood, underscoring how close the situation came to becoming fatal.
After stabilizing Lopez, surgeons proceeded with the removal of the ovarian tumor. The successful completion of both tasks in a single operation represented a remarkable achievement in surgical medicine. Every step required precise timing, constant communication, and the ability to respond instantly to life-threatening complications.
Recovery, Survival, and the Broader Medical Significance
In the days following surgery, attention shifted to recovery and monitoring. For Ryu, the primary concern was lung function, as babies delivered under unusual conditions can face significant respiratory challenges. According to Dr. Sara Dayanim, the neonatology team was encouraged by how quickly he progressed. Within a day, doctors were able to remove his breathing tube, and over the next two weeks he consistently met the benchmarks necessary for healthy development. His rapid improvement defied expectations and reinforced the sense that the case was extraordinary.
Suze Lopez, meanwhile, focused on her own recovery with the goal of reuniting with her newborn in the NICU as soon as possible. She later credited the nursing staff, particularly one nurse she described as her guardian angel, for providing constant care and emotional support throughout the ordeal. As a nurse herself, Lopez understood the gravity of what she had survived and the narrow margin by which her life had been saved.
From a medical perspective, the case has drawn attention to the rare circumstances under which an abdominal ectopic pregnancy can progress to term. According to established medical literature, ectopic pregnancies account for a small but significant percentage of pregnancy-related deaths, largely due to rupture and hemorrhage. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that ruptured ectopic pregnancies contribute to approximately 2.7 percent of pregnancy-related deaths. Abdominal ectopic pregnancies are the only type in which a fetus may, in extremely rare cases, survive to term, but they carry immense risk.
Doctors involved in Lopez’s care emphasized that her experience should not be interpreted as a typical outcome. In most cases, ectopic pregnancies are not viable and require early intervention to protect the pregnant person’s life. Lopez’s case stands out precisely because it is so unusual, made possible by a unique combination of anatomical factors, early access to advanced medical care, and the presence of a highly specialized surgical team.
For the Lopez family, the experience has been life-altering. Andrew Lopez described their son as a miracle, a sentiment echoed by Suze, who said the ordeal changed how she views every day of her life. While personal interpretations of the event vary, the medical facts alone place the case among the most remarkable obstetric outcomes documented in recent years.
Ultimately, the successful delivery of Ryu Lopez and the safe removal of a 22-pound ovarian tumor represent a convergence of medical expertise, preparation, and extraordinary circumstance. It serves as a reminder of both the fragility and resilience of the human body, and of how modern medicine, when pushed to its limits, can still achieve outcomes once thought impossible.
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