Baby Born with 4-Lb. Tumor on Her Tailbone: ‘Seeing It on the Ultrasound Was Scary’

Miracle Baby: Born with a 4-Lb Tumor at the Tailbone

Behind the Headlines
Kristin and Jacob Tyler of Alexandria, Louisiana, were overjoyed when they discovered in September 2023 that they were expecting their second child. But at the routine 20-week anatomy scan in February, the couple’s happiness turned to worry when doctors suspected spina bifida — a condition Kristin was unfamiliar with and found frightening. People.com

A Rarer Diagnosis
A follow-up specialist clarified the diagnosis: their unborn daughter had a sacrococcygeal teratoma, a rare tumor that develops from the tailbone. Occurring in roughly 1 in every 20,000 births, it appears more often in girls and is usually benign — but its origin remains a mystery. People.comWikipedia

High Stakes, High Tension
Because the tumor was likely diverting blood from the baby — forcing her heart to work harder and risking heart failure — the family was referred to a specialist, Dr. Ahmed Nassr, at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in Houston. To ensure close monitoring, Kristin relocated there in March with their son and her mother, while Jacob stayed back in Louisiana for work. Kristin describes the journey as isolating — she had no one to turn to who understood what they were going through. People.com

A Delicate Delivery
At 34 weeks, on April 21, Kristin delivered her daughter, Adalida, via C-section. The tumor was a formidable 16 cm across and weighed nearly 4 pounds — almost two-thirds of her body weight. It looked “a little bit smaller than a watermelon,” according to Dr. Nassr. Such size presented serious risks — rupture, bleeding, and shock — hence the careful surgical approach. People.comWJLA

Swift Surgical Success
Adalida was taken to the NICU immediately after birth. Two days later, a pediatric surgery team removed the tumor successfully. By her initial due date (June 29), she was able to go home. Today, she’s thriving — meeting developmental milestones, described by her mother as a “good, happy baby.” “We call her our miracle baby… our angel baby,” Kristin says. People.com

Looking Ahead
Although the immediate medical concerns are past, Adalida still has a cosmetic surgery in store when she’s 2 or 3. Since the tumor originated from the base of her spine, the removal left that area flat. Surgeons plan to reconstruct her natural contours — a procedure described as cosmetic, not medical. People.com

A Story of Resilience and Community
Kristin credits faith, community support, and even strangers’ generosity for helping her family through the ordeal. She shares a powerful insight: “It was an eye-opener for me how much love and gratitude people give and how much support people give when you’re going through something hard.” People.com

The Medical Perspective: What’s a Sacrococcygeal Teratoma?

A sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a rare type of tumor that forms at the base of the tailbone, deriving from embryonic remnants. While most SCTs are benign, a small portion can be malignant or immature—highlighting the need for surgical removal and long-term follow-up. Wikipedia

Detected often via prenatal ultrasound, these tumors can be enormous — occasionally bigger than the fetus. They may strain the fetus’s cardiovascular system, cause preterm birth, or lead to delivery complications. The standard treatment is removing the tumor along with the coccyx to lower the chance of recurrence.