At Manipal Hospital Salt Lake, a 35-year-old woman who weighed 90 kg and had a history of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage defied all odds to give birth to a 755-gram baby. At the 29th week of her pregnancy, the emergency C-section was carried out under the direction of Dr. Pallab Chatterjee, Senior Paediatrician & Neonatologist, and Dr. Polly Chatterjee, Senior Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecologist.

When the woman visited Manipal Hospital Salt Lake, she had subfertility, PCOD, and multiple fibroids. She became pregnant for the third time after undergoing infertility treatment. At 20 weeks of pregnancy, she experienced pregnancy-induced hypertension along with the early onset of foetal growth restriction. Her fibroids were also getting bigger. She experienced severe oligohydramnios (nearly no fluid around the foetus) and uncontrolled hypertension at 29 weeks despite taking all of her medications. After being taken to the hospital in a hurry and given steroids to help her lungs mature, the delivery was completed.

Dr. Polly Chatterjee, Senior Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecologist, Manipal Hospital Salt Lake, said, “Due to the baby’s transverse lie, which prevented them from being in the usual head-down position, the delivery was challenging. The mother had several fibroids, and her womb was devoid of liquor, or perhaps more accurately, amniotic fluid. She was able to deliver the baby thanks to the skill of our committed team, who performed the C-section”.

The girl, who weighed 755 grammes at birth, spent more than a month in the intensive care unit.

Dr Pallab Chatterjee, Senior Paediatrician & Neonatologist, Manipal Hospital Salt Lake said, “Following initial resuscitation, we initiated high flow nasal oxygen and gave surfactant for lung maturation. After the baby began to tolerate orogastric feedings, we gradually weaned the support. We were able to wean the child to full oral feedings gradually, and the oxygen saturation in the room air remained normal”.

The infant, who weighs 1 kg 15 g, is currently doing well and has been sent home.

Priyanka Dutta