After 13 losses, parenthood hope finally triumphs for Ambedkarnagar couple

Lucknow: Doctors at SGPGIMS undertook a complex medical procedure on a six-week-old underweight baby to salvage a woman’s long-cherished desire for motherhood.After 76 days of intensive medical care, the newborn was discharged in a stable condition on Friday.Reshma Maurya, a native of Ambedkarnagar, lost 13 pregnancies to various complications prior to the present one.Head, maternal and reproductive health, Prof Mandakini Pradhan said the baby, born at just 34 weeks, about five weeks before the average pregnancy term, developed severe respiratory distress and was put on ventilator support.“Cardiologists diagnosed a large congenital heart defect called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, in which the blood vessel that normally closes after birth remains open and causes abnormal blood flow, exerting life-threatening pressure on the heart and lungs,” she said.When medication could not improve the condition, a team led by interventional cardiologist Dr Ankit Sahu performed a procedure to repair the defect.“We undertook the procedure to close the abnormal vessel. Since the baby was too small and fragile, weighing 2.2 kg, we used Piccolo device — a tiny medical implant for a specialised minimally invasive procedure — to save the baby from the risk of an open-heart surgery,” he said.The baby showed steady recovery after the procedure and recovered fully.“Our wish was finally fulfilled with the help of doctors and medical personnel,” said Mahendra Maurya, the relieved father.Recalling her pain, Reshma said: “The journey was tough, but hope prevailed.”Head, intervention cardiology, Prof Aditya Kapoor said, “The case highlights our expertise in handling complex neonatal cardiac cases.”Director, SGPGI, Prof RK Dhiman praised the coordinated efforts of obstetric, neonatal and cardiology teams.