Miracle Baby 'Grew In Liver' - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

rsl12 · 05-23-2003, 10:17 AM

This story, from the BBC, gives me the willies. big time.

--------------

A healthy baby has been born after developing in its mother's liver instead of in the womb.

Reports from South Africa say Nhlahla, whose name means "luck" in Zulu, is only the fourth baby ever to survive such a pregnancy.

In all, there have only been 14 documented cases of a child developing in this way.

Nhlahla was born after specialists performed a difficult operation to deliver her on Tuesday.

She had to be put on oxygen after her birth, where she weighed a healthy 2.8kg, but was breathing without aid by Thursday.

Doctors said Nhlahla and her mother Ncise Cwayita, 20 - whose first baby was born normally - were both doing well.

Liver specialist Professor Jack Krige, who helped deliver the baby, told a South African newspaper: "She is the real thing. She is truly a miracle baby."

Risks

When an egg is fertilised, it normally travels down the fallopian tube to the womb, where it implants and grows.

But sometimes, the embryo implants in the fallopian tube, a standard ectopic pregnancy.

In some cases - around one in 100,000 pregnancies - it falls out of the fallopian tube and can implant anywhere in the abdomen.

In extremely rare cases, such as this one, the embryo attaches itself to the liver, a very rich source of blood.

The baby is protected because it is within the placenta - but it does not have the usual protection of the womb - and is at more risk in the abdominal cavity.

Most babies in extrauterine (out of the uterus) pregnancies die within a few weeks.

Window

In this case, doctors only discovered the baby was growing in the liver when they performed a scan this week.

Her womb was found to be empty, even though her baby was due in a week.

Ms Cwayita was transferred to the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

Dr Bruce Howard told the Cape Argus newspaper said: "We knew it was an extrauterine pregnancy but we didn't know it was in the liver until we started the operation on Tuesday morning."

Doctors found a small "window" where the amniotic sac connected with the outside of the liver where they were able to go in to deliver the baby.

Doctors had to leave the placenta and amniotic sac in the liver, because the mother's life would have been at risk.

It is expected they will be absorbed back into her body.

Professor James Walker, president of the British Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, told BBC News Online abdominal pregnancies could be very dangerous.

"The mother is at a huge risk. One in 200 women die before we can do anything to help them.

"The main problem for the baby is that it is not protected by the muscular wall of the womb."

onodrim · 05-23-2003, 10:32 AM

Wow, thats just, wow. I've never heard of anything like that, and it's hard to imagine that it's possible.

joshibahn · 05-23-2003, 10:33 AM

Youch! oh, the mother must hate that baby!

RAMONES!!! · 05-23-2003, 10:44 AM

i just read this, hard to believe. wow

SecretMethod70 · 05-23-2003, 02:52 PM

um....I think I'll go away now....the men in the white coats are calling....

that's just.....strange.

Janie · 05-23-2003, 03:01 PM

unbelievable... just unbelievable...

Atropos4 · 05-23-2003, 03:32 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by joshibahn
Youch! oh, the mother must hate that baby! [/QUOTE?]

An ordeal like this would probably make any mother be even more appreciative of having a healthy baby. I seriously doubt she "hates her baby.

Sounds scary. I've never heard of this before. She sounds pretty fortunate to have a healty live baby.

denim · 05-23-2003, 03:42 PM

So, w/o surgery they both die, I expect?

I just went looking for this on the BBC web site, and found http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/671390.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/health/443373.stm

Glory's Sun · 05-23-2003, 05:01 PM

amazing story. I've never heard of anything like this.. there's always a surprise in life eh

Macheath · 05-23-2003, 08:34 PM

Imagine how that kid is going to be able to boast when he grows up and goes for a job interview at the local liquor store.

w3r7y · 05-23-2003, 09:51 PM

thats pretty funny

darksparkles · 05-24-2003, 11:38 AM

dude ...

charlesesl · 05-24-2003, 05:49 PM

wicked --- as in biblical definition

Satsuma · 05-24-2003, 08:17 PM

They only discovered this a week before due date?

05-23-2003, 10:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
rsl12 On the lam Location: northern va	Miracle Baby 'Grew In Liver' This story, from the BBC, gives me the willies. big time. -------------- A healthy baby has been born after developing in its mother's liver instead of in the womb. Reports from South Africa say Nhlahla, whose name means "luck" in Zulu, is only the fourth baby ever to survive such a pregnancy. In all, there have only been 14 documented cases of a child developing in this way. Nhlahla was born after specialists performed a difficult operation to deliver her on Tuesday. She had to be put on oxygen after her birth, where she weighed a healthy 2.8kg, but was breathing without aid by Thursday. Doctors said Nhlahla and her mother Ncise Cwayita, 20 - whose first baby was born normally - were both doing well. Liver specialist Professor Jack Krige, who helped deliver the baby, told a South African newspaper: "She is the real thing. She is truly a miracle baby." Risks When an egg is fertilised, it normally travels down the fallopian tube to the womb, where it implants and grows. But sometimes, the embryo implants in the fallopian tube, a standard ectopic pregnancy. In some cases - around one in 100,000 pregnancies - it falls out of the fallopian tube and can implant anywhere in the abdomen. In extremely rare cases, such as this one, the embryo attaches itself to the liver, a very rich source of blood. The baby is protected because it is within the placenta - but it does not have the usual protection of the womb - and is at more risk in the abdominal cavity. Most babies in extrauterine (out of the uterus) pregnancies die within a few weeks. Window In this case, doctors only discovered the baby was growing in the liver when they performed a scan this week. Her womb was found to be empty, even though her baby was due in a week. Ms Cwayita was transferred to the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. Dr Bruce Howard told the Cape Argus newspaper said: "We knew it was an extrauterine pregnancy but we didn't know it was in the liver until we started the operation on Tuesday morning." Doctors found a small "window" where the amniotic sac connected with the outside of the liver where they were able to go in to deliver the baby. Doctors had to leave the placenta and amniotic sac in the liver, because the mother's life would have been at risk. It is expected they will be absorbed back into her body. Professor James Walker, president of the British Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, told BBC News Online abdominal pregnancies could be very dangerous. "The mother is at a huge risk. One in 200 women die before we can do anything to help them. "The main problem for the baby is that it is not protected by the muscular wall of the womb." __________________ oh baby oh baby, i like gravy.

05-23-2003, 10:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
onodrim Cosmically Curious Location: Chicago, IL	Wow, thats just, wow. I've never heard of anything like that, and it's hard to imagine that it's possible. __________________ "The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides" -Carl Sagan

05-23-2003, 10:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
joshibahn Psycho Location: portland, or	Youch! oh, the mother must hate that baby! __________________ TFP=heaven Heaven, n 1: the abode of God and the angels and the souls of those who have gained salvation 2: any place of complete bliss and delight and peace [syn: eden, paradise, nirvana, promised land, Shangri-la]

05-23-2003, 10:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
RAMONES!!! _-_---_-_	i just read this, hard to believe. wow __________________ Come on

05-23-2003, 02:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	um....I think I'll go away now....the men in the white coats are calling.... that's just.....strange. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

05-23-2003, 03:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
Janie Insane Location: Greater Vancouver	unbelievable... just unbelievable... __________________ cheers to the motherland

05-23-2003, 03:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
Atropos4 Think about it Location: North Carolina	[QUOTE]Originally posted by joshibahn Youch! oh, the mother must hate that baby! [/QUOTE?] An ordeal like this would probably make any mother be even more appreciative of having a healthy baby. I seriously doubt she "hates her baby. Sounds scary. I've never heard of this before. She sounds pretty fortunate to have a healty live baby. __________________ Minds are like parachutes. They work better open. "If I were Hermione, I would have licked his pantleg."

05-23-2003, 03:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
denim Banned Location: Massachusetts, USA	So, w/o surgery they both die, I expect? I just went looking for this on the BBC web site, and found http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/671390.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/health/443373.stm Last edited by denim; 05-23-2003 at 03:49 PM..

05-23-2003, 05:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
Glory's Sun Registered User	amazing story. I've never heard of anything like this.. there's always a surprise in life eh

05-23-2003, 08:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
Macheath Junkie Location: Sydney, Australia	Imagine how that kid is going to be able to boast when he grows up and goes for a job interview at the local liquor store.

05-23-2003, 09:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
w3r7y Crazy Location: {c4n4d4}.,b1zn47ch	thats pretty funny __________________ "oderint dum metuant" -Caligura You say Tomato, I say Fuck you.

05-24-2003, 11:38 AM	#12 (permalink)
darksparkles Insane Location: Seattle	dude ... __________________ "I could be the walrus ... I'd still have to bum rides off people." -Ferris Bueller.

05-24-2003, 05:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
charlesesl Psycho	wicked --- as in biblical definition __________________ It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. Dr. Viktor E. Frankl

05-24-2003, 08:17 PM	#14 (permalink)
Satsuma Upright	They only discovered this a week before due date?