Girl beats ‘high risk’ pregnancy

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Bengaluru: When she was told in the 35th week of her pregnancy that she had a rare congenital heart defect called Ebstein’s Anomaly, 21-year-old S.C. Bhavya of Harohalli had almost lost hope that she would deliver a healthy baby. But she did, as doctors at Fortis Hospital decided upon an immediate caesarian section. Now, both mother and baby are doing fine, doctors told Deccan Chronicle.
Doctors said that many people suffering from Ebstein's Anomaly themselves do not survive into adulthood, and when women with the condition do get pregnant, it becomes a ‘high risk’ pregnancy for both mother and child. Hence, Bhavya conceiving and delivering a healthy baby is almost a miracle.
Dr. S. Venkatesh, consultant cardiologist at Fortis Hospital, who supervised Bhavya for cardiac concerns, said, “Bhavya came to us in the third month of her pregnancy. Usually, we do not advise patients with a congenital heart defect to progress as it poses high risk for the mother. But we banked on the experience and willingness of the team of doctors to take on the challenge.”
Bhavya’s obstetrician Dr. Mangla Ramachandra said, “This is not a regular ailment. Bhavya was in the ‘high risk’ category. Having Ebstein's Anomaly causes increased fatigue, breathlessness and other problems during pregnancy. It also reduces the woman’s stamina to carry on through to delivery. We did want to wait for natural delivery, but due to her increasing breathlessness and failure to progress, she was taken for a caesarian section.”
Interestingly, Bhavya and her family hadn’t realized that she had this rare heart condition until she got pregnant. She did get breathless sometimes and used to get fever, but she would obtain some medicines from a nearby hospital and that usually provided her relief. “When I was in the 35th week of pregnancy, I started getting chest pain, breathlessness and fatigue”, Bhavya said, “My condition wasn’t improving. I had left everything in the hands of the doctors and fate.”
“Bhavya has recovered brilliantly and is now like any other mother. The baby is doing fine. A pregnant woman with a rare heart ailment is at higher risk than a mother-to-be with diabetes or moderate hypertension. Bhavya is a unique case,” Dr Mangla said.