Unborn Baby Taken Out From Womb For Treatment Then Put Back For Rest Of Pregnancy

Feb 28, 2019 by apost team

The miracles of modern medicine are truly revolutionary. New techniques give doctors and patients advanced options to fight countless conditions, from cancer to sports injuries to the seasonal flu.

In addition to saving lives, these new techniques can give patients greater control of their standard of living and prevent major conditions from taking hold. One expectant mom in Essex, England knows first hand the power of modern medicine.

As reported by ITV, Bethan Simpson, a 25-year old mom to be, went in for a routine checkup when she got an unwelcome surprise. During the baby’s 20-week scan, doctors found that the unborn child’s head had unusual measurements.

Speaking to a specialist at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Bethan learned that her baby, who she planned on naming Eloise, had spina bifida. Spina bifida is a condition where the baby’s head and spinal cord do not properly develop in utero, leading to difficulty walking later in life.

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Bethan’s doctors presented the harried mom to be with three options: she could terminate the pregnancy, deliver Eloise and manage the condition later in the child’s life, or attempt fetal surgery to repair the baby’s spine. According to International Business Times, fetal surgery is fairly common in the United States, however, has only been performed a handful of times in the United Kingdom. Bethan and her husband elected to have the surgery.

A very complex procedure, the surgery involved taking Eloise out of Bethan’s womb, fixing the baby’s spine, and returning her to Bethan’s womb for the remainder of the pregnancy. The procedure is so rare that Bethan is only the fourth woman from the United Kingdom to undergo this type of surgery.

Bethan’s surgery took place on January 8 at London’s University College Hospital. The surgery was a great success for both the mother and the daughter. When speaking to ITV News about the procedure, Bethan told of how the lesion on Eloise’s back was smaller than doctors anticipated after her first scans.

While Bethan isn’t sure if Eloise will need any special treatment when she is born, the expectant mom feels that the most important thing is that Eloise now has a chance at life.

She went on to say that she could never even consider terminating the pregnancy, saying that she feels the child kicking on a daily basis. Eloise is due to arrive in April and all the world wishes her and her family the best.

What do you think of Bethan’s story? Have you or someone you know ever had a complicated pregnancy? Let us know in the comments - and feel free to pass this along to your friends and loved ones!