A baby dying in his mother’s womb has been saved by doctors in Spain who performed and in-utero surgery. The infant was suffering from a rare condition affecting his lungs and causing his heart to fail, but at 10 months old, his is now healthy and thriving.
Tarryn Ford was 31 weeks pregnant when doctors discovered that her baby had a rare condition due to fluid accumulation between his chest and lungs. Thankfully surgeons were able to perform an in-utero surgery and saved her baby’s life.
Tammy Gonzalez was 17 weeks pregnant when an ultrasound revealed her baby had a rare tumor that could turn fatal. Two years later Tammy is not only holding her daughter proudly in her arms, but is also thanking her stars for a pioneering surgery done in-utero that saved the baby in the womb.
Working as a pilot for Netcare911 and SA Red Cross Air Mercy Ambulance Hayden Ford had saved many lives including that of many preemies and newborns. But even his job could not prepare him for the news that his own unborn son’s life was in danger due to a rare and fatal medical condition.
Five-months pregnant, Aimee Donley found out that the twins inside her womb had a rare condition where one baby was receiving all the share of blood. Doctors assured her that a new surgery could save at least one of the brothers. Luckily, both the babies were saved and are now five months old.
In 2002 the National Institutes of Health launched a big study on fetal surgery after the Spina bifida operations got caught up in a debate regarding their safety. The preliminary results of the study were released Wednesday and show that the fetal spina bifida surgery gives baby a better chance of leading a normal life.
Called a first in Canada, doctors at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children have successfully repaired a baby’s heart while she was still in the womb.
