Russian woman has been living for 80 years with a 3-centimeter needle in her brain, the reason is shocking

An elderly woman in Russia has lived her entire life with a 3-centimeter-long needle in her brain, doctors have discovered during the examination.

Doctors believe the 80-year-old was the victim of attempted murder as a baby by her parents, and have said they will not attempt to remove the needle as they fear her condition could worsen.

"Such cases during the years of famine were not unusual," said the health department in the Sakhalin region.

Her parents apparently decided to kill their child during the Second World War after they saw that the 3cm needle had been in her brain "since birth". This method was often used to hide evidence of a crime, the department said.

Food shortages were widespread in the Soviet Union during the war and many people lived in poverty, the Guardian wrote. 

"The needle penetrated her left parietal lobe but did not have the intended effect - the girl survived," the local health department said, adding that the patient had never complained of a headache and was not in any danger.