91-year-old Chilean woman didn't know she had calcified fetus in uterus for 60 years

LA BOCA, Chile -- A 91-year-old woman who was never able to have children has found out why: She had been carrying a calcified fetus in her uterus for more than six decades.

CNN reports that doctors discovered the fetus after Estela Melendez fell and received an X-ray. She told doctors she had a lump on her belly for several years, but never thought anything of it.

"The doctor said I had a tumor and that they needed to operate on me," Melndez told CNN.

Doctors were in shock when upon further examination, that tumor turned out to be the fetus.

Other than suffering from arthritis and having trouble hearing, Melendez has no other medical problems. Doctors say the calcified fetus poses no health threat to her.

Melendez's husband died in January at the age of 91. She said that one of her few regrets in her 91 years is that the couple was unable to have children.

"We suffered tremendously because of this reason," Melndez said.

Doctors are unable to remove the fetus because they say operating on a 91 year old person poses more of a health risk than the carrying the fetus. For now, Melendez says the lump on her belly will continue to remind her of her husband and their dream of being able to have a child.