Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Cool Picture ~ Very Graphic!


This is a 15-week miscarried fetus. No size reference except the gauze pad (they come in various sizes, I assume), but the detail is amazing.

51 comments:

Candace said...

COOL PICTURE?!?!?!?! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME REALLY?! THAT WAS SOMEONES CHILD HOW CAN SIT ON YOUR FREAKING COMPUTER AND WRITE COOL PICTURE HAVE YOU EVER GONE THROUGH A MISCARRIAGE?! I HAVE AND TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST I THINK YOUR A MORON FOR EVEN THINKING THAT IT IS COOL AND VERY INCONSIDERATE!!! OOH AND ANOTHER THING I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE SICK IN THE HEAD TO EVEN BEGIN TO THINK THAT A PICTURE OF A DEAD CHILD SOMEONES CHILD AT THAT IS COOL SO WHY DONT YOU GROW UP AND GET SOME CLASS
CANDACE

JW said...

yes, it is cool. The detail of this tiny human at such a young age- a miracle. The fact that it's dead isn't 'cool'. I realize that someone miscarried. I'm merely commenting on the fetus itself. If you're angry, be angry at the doctor who took the picture in the first place. Either way, I'm still facinated by the detail and fragility of life.

Anonymous said...

JW.....While I understand Candace may have been upset by this picture (or its caption), I agree with you that it is, in fact, an amazing picture from a scientific or educational standpoint. I have lost two pregnancies (one ectopic pregnancy and one miscarriage) and am now currently 4 months pregnant and things are looking on track this time around (yay!). And even my fiancee and I are able to look at this picture objectively and marvel at this tiny little being and all its intricate details, even if the fact that it never made it into this world is heartbreaking. Thanks for the pic.

Anonymous said...

I think that this baby is older than the other picture you have (or the 16 week isn't 16 weeks). This beautiful little one is much more well defined. I am 12 weeks pregnant with what I hope to be my 4th child, I have had 5 miscarriages.

Anonymous said...

I am 15 weeks pregnant, and while it is sad that this baby died, this photo really is amazing. The details are facinating,and it is so much more powerful than those stupid drawings that most "pregnant lady" websites have. Thanks for posting. Don't worry about Candace. She sounds like a wingnut.

MTBF said...

LIfe is amazing and this small example is incredible. I am 15 weeks pregnant and am in awe of the process. God help the family that lost this child. What amazes me most about this photograph is that people can see it and still believe abortion should be legal...even MUCH later than this...as in partial-birth abortions where they deliver a baby breech up to the neck, stabbing the baby in the nape of the neck, suction out the baby's brains, collapse the baby's skull with forceps, and deliver a dead baby. That is reality. THAT is what amazes me most.

Anonymous said...

Im almost 19 weeks pregnant, Iv never had a miscarriage but our son was stillborn at the sttart of the year,

I think the photo is very interesting.

I however had an ultrasound done att 17weeks a day before i seen these photos and noticed that the shape of the head with my baby and these two babies were different,

the shape of these two are similar to between 12-14 weeks, were as at 16 weeks the head is the correct round shape it is at birth

Rachael said...

AMAZING PICTURE, ARE YOU BLOODY CRAZY! ITS SOMEONE CHILD! WHO UNFORTUNELY DIED! IM 15 WEEKS PREGNANT MYSELF AND HAD A MISCARIGE 20 WEEKS AGO AND I WAS 12 WEEKS WHEN I LOST IT!!

SORT YOUR SELF OUT!
ITS SOMEONE CHILD! ITS NOT COOL ITS SAD! THAT LIL ONE LOST IT LIFE! AND YOU THINK ITS AMAZING PICTURE!
I HATE TO BE YOUR CHILDREN TBH!
YOUR SICK PEOPLE!
GROW UP!

Anonymous said...

Question to those leaving negative feedback? How did you find such a picture without looking for it on purpose?....

The picture (while yes, upsetting and clearly a departure of an early life), is moving and graphic, it is amazing how at such a tiny being can be so defined! (And yes to those wanting to know, I too have had miscarriages. Yes very very upsetting with the wash of emotion from feeling that something must be wrong with you as a potential mother to the relief of it, rather than a child that is unwell from the start, with an early departure) To some of you I probably seem heartless, to others I am merely finding a way to cope)

Either way, to those that feel either way about this picture, it is life, and life, whether we like it or not is not always fair. For those that believe in god and/or fate, this happens for a reason, and one day you will know why... Don't get me wrong, I am still waiting for that realisation, and I suspect it will come when I hear the loud but healthy cries from my newborn's lungs.

Anonymous said...

absalutely stunning.
this picture just captures the wonder and the beauty of life.sorry I am for the parents who are without this precious little baby.

karen said...

the women here need to calm the fuck down!!! its a freaking picture. yes someone miscarried what the heck can any of you do about it? the picture imo is amazing especially to see that something so small can be so beautiful

JenT said...

Yes, an amazing, beautiful photo that depicts the miracle that any of us survived the process of coming into being. A body so tiny and fragile, separated from his soul. When did the soul enter? A conglomeration of cells that somehow make their way into a human - how does each one know its job? Believer in God or not, it is miraculous. Let us see this photo as a gift to view the beginning, as well as the end, of life.

Unknown said...

I think you could have used a better word than cool.. Life is a beautiful thing but This child lost theirs.I was 15 wks pegnant when i lost mine at 15wks 2 days. Because I had contracted a severe UTI which brought on contractions. Then when I delivered my little boy he looked just like this baby. He even had finger and toe nails. It was the most horrible day of my life but I am receiving help and getting through it. I honestly thought I was further along but this picture proves me wrong. Thank you for sharing it but it still saddens me deeply someone else lost their baby like me.

Unknown said...

i would like to add that even though they said I was 15 wks, He was 6 in long and bigger than this gauze pad. but still looks the same.

Anonymous said...

I HAD A MISCARRIAGE AT 16 WEEKS ALSO..AND THE THOUGHT OF ME SEEING MY CHILD LIKE THAT KILLED ME INSIDE...I COULDN'T SLEEP FOR ABOUT A YEAR AFTER IT HAPPEN I HAD NIGHTMARES...ITS SO TERRIFYING TO SEE ALIITLE BABY LIKE THAT....IT IS VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH LOSING A BABY....I ALWAYS OFFENDED WHEN PPL TALK ABOUT ABORTIONS CAUSE I THINK ABOUT MY LITTLE DAUGHTER WHO PASSED AWAY AND I WANTED HER HERE WITH ME IT DISGUSTED ME SO MUCH!!!

Ferret said...

I am currently 16 wks pregnant and I am so interested in seeing real life pictures of what I can not see growing inside of my womb. This is the most beautiful picture of the amazingness of the growth of a human life. Yes it is sad to know that the parents of this child are without. Again though this photo is detailed and beautiful.

Anonymous said...

I know it's contraversial but I wanted to say thanks for posting. I lost my son over the summer and was never given a chance to see him. The picture you posted was graphic but it gave me some idea of what my son looked like when he was born...

Anonymous said...

I also am thankful to see this photo. I wanted a realistic visual of the baby girl we lost in October. We want to have a memorial service for her and I want to have an idea, other than the in-vitro photos and ultrasound pictures. I wish we, as a society, didn't turn away so completely from images of fragile early human life after miscarriage. Why was it so hard for me to find an image like this? It is a miracle at any stage at all. God bless this little one and his family.

Anonymous said...

Also - I am comforted by the fact that I'm not the only one searching for an image similiar to the baby I lost. It really helps to see what she looked like when I never got the chance to see her, just like others who have posted here. Thank you again for publishing this image.

Panne said...

For god's sake people, stop using ALL CAPS! It makes you look hysterical and stupid. I'm currently pregnant (15 weeks) and I found the photo really interesting (albeit a little disturbing to look at).

Panne said...

Just a question, is this fetus 15 weeks into the pregnancy, or is the fetus itself 15 weeks old (that is, week 17 of the pregnancy)?

Anonymous said...

I think Candace is right who could even think to think that someones dead baby picture is cool? I think your evil and need some dame help!!! How could you ever think something like that is cool?

Anonymous said...

My girlfreind just had a misscarage i am so upset .,,,dont know what to do to upset to think any positive out of this

Anonymous said...

I am in the middle of a "medically managed miscarriage" (misoprostol) right now, just waiting for my bub to leave my body. My baby died 3 weeks ago at 9 weeks, no heart beat. I found just 36 hours ago. My first bub and have so many emotions right now, heartbreaking is the big one...

I am intrigued by the photos and I want to see my baby (fetus, your choice?) when it comes out. I guess we are all different eh?! You images show beautiful peaceful bubs who wouldn't make it out here in this big bad world.

Perhaps the word 'cool' is a little inappropriate? Something a little more gentle next time.... Think of us when coming up with a title, there is nothing cool about losing a baby.

Lisa

Anonymous said...

it seems that the ones who are offended by the picture are the same ones who type in all caps and spell alot of words wrong. true, it is very sad, but from a scientific/medical viewpoint, it is a very well detailed picture of how much can happen inside the human body in such a short time

Anonymous said...

I think at 15 weeks they're about 3 inches long, so on my screen this is a life size picture.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I have to agree (and thanks, but I can spell properly and not in all caps) that the use of the word "cool" here is what is totally inappropriate, and frankly, selfish at this point. I had a miscarriage at 13 weeks, and am know pg again at 15 weeks. I spend every single day worrying that this baby will die as well. Honestly, if you've never had to give birth to dead baby, you just have no idea how insensitive and painful it feels to have someone describe that baby's body as "cool." I went through a great deal to be able to deliver my baby intact (vs a D & C or D & E) because I *wanted* to see it, I wanted to bury our child - and we have pictures that are immensely private, beautiful & heartbreaking.... You could describe this so much better with any number of adjectives, without needlessly hurting women who come here who may be devastated and mourning. "Cool" is such a shallow thoughtless word to describe *any* dead body - no matter how young or amazing.

For those of you arguing that "cool" is fine - imagine seeing you dead 5 year old there, maybe with some amazing blood spatter pattern - sure that you would still describe the artistic aesthetic as "cool"?!

Elizabeth said...

People need to chill. I'm 16 weeks pregnant and while this is sad it is also awe inspiring. I hate looking at little cartoons wondering what my baby REALLY looks like. Yes, miscarriage happens and its a tragic event that most of the time can't be predicted or prevented. I've never had one but I'd much rather let him/her pass intact and have the memory of being able to touch and see my baby than just dump him/her out with medical waste.

Aisatsana said...

I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant and came across this picture through Google, after searching '15 Week Fetus'.

This is exactly what I wanted to see. Beautifully detailed, precious and REAL. A tiny man or woman in the making.

Of course, the circumstances that brought it to be photographed are terribly sad (I had a miscarriage myself two years ago), but it's so important that we have these sorts of pictures.

Some of the pictures on pregnancy websites are ridiculous and don't offer any knowledge on what our babies REALLY look like, whereas this is totally pure.

I almost find it comforting - proof that the baby I lost WAS, in fact, as baby! So many people tried to comfort me with stupid comments about how it wasn't really a baby when I lost it, but it was.

Such a beautiful and enlightening thing. Thanks for posting x

Aisatsana said...

I also think the use of the word 'cool' was fine, being a word used to describe something interesting/fascinating.

The fact that the fetus is so human at this stage IS cool! Lots of people have no idea that they are so well-formed so early on. It's wonderfully educational, whether you feel unsettled by it or not.

No one said the image of a dead fetus lying on a piece of gauze was cool. Nor did they say the fact that it's dead and it's parents have lost their child was cool.

Try reading between the lines!

How you can possibly compare it to the image of a blood-splattered, dead 5 year old is beyond me.

Anonymous said...

im wondering if the poster and most of the commenters are from a very differing culture from my own? i don't have a problem with the picture, it is beautiful and there is not point turning away from the realities of life - but COOL?! inappropriate i'd say, this is not a picture of a circus side show. also id say that when you need to criticise spelling to elevate your opinion you need to get some tolerance. my heart goes out to all those who have lost xo. i will try to turn the other cheek re 'Cool picture-very graphic'. i will pray that people find time to be more thoughtful in the future.

Unknown said...

i think its very miraculous to see how this small fetus looks like a tiny version of a baby,it is a bit heartbreaking when you think about how the mother felt having to looking at her fetus that never got a chance to grow healthily,but its very educating,for expecting woman who wanna kno how their baby's look in their womb at the precise week.

Anonymous said...

I am the mother of this child!!!!! this is my son!!!! i have no idea how this picture leaked but i am livid!!!!!! how things end up on the internet i have no idea but this is my child that is buried and i grieve for him everyday!

Anonymous said...

Thank you. I am 17 weeks pregnant and went on monday for an ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby and instead I found out the heart had stopped beating. we are now waiting for my body to pass the baby and I was looking for picturesor something to prepare me for what it will look like when it comes out and this really helped.

Anonymous said...

First I would like to say sorry to the mother whose child this is. It is terrible that this picture was released without your prior knowledge. I also lost a son at 16weeks and can totally understand how it must feel for someone to have done this to you. However you could try and take a positive from this as difficult as it may be. There have been many on here who have commented on how seeing this picture has helped them in their grieving process. I too never got the chance to see my son so I can also see their side. Perhaps you could take comfort in that you have helped others through an equally difficult time. I hope this message has not offended you I mereley wanted to try and shed a positive light on a situation that should never have been exploited x

Anonymous said...

Out of the sadness of the miscarriage comes the thankfulness of mothers-to-be who want to know what their own fetuses look like. I too am 15 weeks and am happy that you shared this photo with us.

Mary said...

Everyone is going to have their opinions about what is cool and what is inappropriate... you can't please everyone. I am a few days away from my 15th week of pregnancy and was very curious to know what the baby actually looks like. So, while I am very sad that this mom lost her baby, I am glad I have the chance to have a true appreciation for the life inside me.

Anonymous said...

I am 15 weeks along.
I was looking for pictures of 15 week old fetuses and came across this. You people on here that are freaking out, its your own fault you saw this! If you happen to see a small disturbing pic on your google image search dont go into it to look at it closer, dumb ass! If you think the person that posted this is sick then your just as sick for going into it! And for the person claiming to be the mother of this baby whatever! If so what the fuck are you doing looking up shit like this if your so livid? What did you want to do look at another mothers dead baby and that would of been ok but since its yours theres a problem.
Anyway its a very interesting picture for people to see. Most people dont know the baby is this developed at this age. Thanks for the pic.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

This fetus is less than 15 weeks which can be noted due to the head to body size ratio.

Anonymous said...

It's not sick. The doctor was legally obligated to get consent before taking a picture, or posting it. Maybe that mother helped to benefit in the research on preventing miscarriage. We all know it's not cool that her baby died, but we all agree that the way a human life forms in such tiny detail is amazing and this is picture helps mothers get o good idea of how their baby actually looks and developes inside of them. Its even been proven that women who are more educated about pregnancy and how a life forms will be less likely to live a lifestyle to harm her unborn child. You should like youre pro life anyway- this picture could potentially stop a woman from having an abortion at 15 weeks. Most women don't think the baby actually looks like a baby this early on but if they saw this, they know now, which could have actually saved a few innocent lives. Dont be stupid and over look the idea behind the picture. Everything has a purpose and God's purpose for this life could have been to save others. If you went through a miscarriage and you are upset by this picture, then I suggest you allow yourself to grieve in some way. Pictures like this wont haunt you if you grieve your lose in your own time.

Unknown said...

ok did no one notice that rachel the 2nd all caps freakout said she is 15weeks now and had a miscarriage 20weeks ago???? is my math that raw? i had a miscarriage almost 11 yrs ago now... he was 18 weeks... at the time i wasnt ready to see and now id give ANYTHING to have a picture of him... maybe this gives solice to a few women like myself... ever think of that candace, rachel, and the other hysterics????

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but as a medical profesional I can tell you there is absolutely no way on earth that this a 15 week old fetus. The skin is no longer transparent - this does not happen until after 24 weeks. Indeed, many premature infants are born with transparent skin.
This is a 16 week old miscarried fetus - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahtix/2107803823/
As you can see, there are massive differences in the level of development.
Misrepresenting the age of a fetus in pictures like these just undermines your cause.

Anonymous said...

the caption on the pic of the 16 week old fetus says that it's the size of her pinky. my pinky is about 2.5 inches long. isn't a 16 week fetus supposed to be 4.5-5 inches long? i don't believe the fetus is 16 weeks.

Anonymous said...

honestly I think it is REALLY COOL. I feel bad for the one who miscarried, but if it weren't for pictures like this, pregnant women interested in how their baby would look like wouldn't e able to find out. I am 15 weeks tomorrow and this gives me an exact idea of how my baby looks like right now. sadly, I think I miscarried too because of some problems I'm having. and I'd gladly post it on Internet to let people know how it would look like. if I miscarried, I'd cry like no one. like a real death. but this gives me a heads up and keep on thinking positive on how looks like my baby growing inside the womb

Anonymous said...

i found it by looking up 15 week fetus looking for ultrasounds not a dead baby, crushed my heart to see this, and im very medically sound im a nurse i love science but its still very disheartning to see this beautiful child lying there lifeless...im 15 weeks!

Tina said...

I have to say, it is a bit sad, but on the other hand wow! You can see all the tiny veins, fingers, and toes. I am almost 15 weeks and the computer animations of what the baby looks like now is nothing compared to this. This is really what my baby looks like inside me now. Really is amazing. But so sorry to whoever had to suffer the loss.

Anonymous said...

this is not cool at all!! iv have just lost my baby at 15 weeks and was the worse 4 days of my life.ur sick if u think this is cool!! yes a very detailed pic but shouldnt of been posted on here or anywer at all.oviously in my opinion this baby didnt mean that much to be talked about like this and posted on here!!! have bit more respect!

lacy Drake said...

I hope this baby got a proper barial like mine. He sits on the shelfin his urne and I wouldn't have it any other way

Anonymous said...

I completely agree.There is nothing about this photo that even questions the fact that it is a human being,and at this stage deserves to live...I realize this particular baby was a miscarriage, but,the people who purposely deliberately abort a baby that looks like a baby they are sick.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the picture. We have just received the news that my niece lost her baby yesterday, at 16 weeks. My niece is 19. I wanted to see an example of what the baby looks like. I feel an emptiness that we won't be having a little one born in July.

Anonymous said...

can you please take this down its a personal photo and shouldn't be on here please