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With less than one in every 80,000 babies born with a caul, it comes as no surprise that superstitions and stories surround this mysterious and rare phenomenon. Believed to be the mark of something special, a birth caul may appear startling and sometimes frightening for the mother, but the majority of the time, it's just a minor and harmless part of the birth process. A birth caul is a piece of the amniotic sac still attached to a newly born baby's head or face. In extremely rare cases, a baby emerges fully inside the amniotic sac, which looks like a thin and filmy membrane. Some call this condition "born with a veil." A caul happens when a piece of the sac breaks away during gestation or during the birthing process and attaches itself to the baby's head. The doctor or midwife simply peels away the caul without issue, although in rare cases, if the caul is tightly adhered to the baby's head, they must take great care not to tear the baby's skin. Many cultures consider a baby born with a caul a sign of good luck. Chances are this belief comes from the rarity of the condition, but many fascinating stories about birth cauls abound throughout history. In Belgium, the child would be lucky only if the caul was buried in a field. Coal miners would carry cauls with them to ward off fires and explosions.