Visakhapatnam :
A haemophilic woman has successfully given birth to healthy twins in a corporate hospital in the city through IVF method. The follow up to the complex surgery shows that all three are well and the twins are free from the genetic disease.
Haemophilia is a genetic and a rare bleeding problem and about one in 10,000 people are born with it. In such patients, the blood does not clot properly as it does not have enough the protein that controls bleeding.
Janani Kumar, a 27-year-old married woman, whose father had hemophilia, is one such carrier of the gene. There was a 50 per cent chance that if Janani’s baby would be born with haemophilia.
After a period of procrastination, the couple decided to have kids through IVF treatment where another woman’s egg and Janani’s husband’s sperm was fertilized and then implanted in her as this was deemed to be the best alternative for them to have healthy babies. The IVF was successful and Janani conceived twins – a boy and a girl – at the end of March under the care of Dr B Sowdamini, consultant obstetrician at Manipal Hospital.
Follow up treatment after a month of delivery showed that the mother and children are in good health. The twins were diagnosed to be free from haemophilia.
Initial examination before delivery had shown that one of the twins in the womb was in breech position, which is below the hip. Janani opted for elective caesarean surgery, which was undertaken by Dr Sowdamini, with a team including a haematologist, neonatologist and other paramedical staff.
“The missing clotting factor was injected into the bloodstream with a needle. Bleeding stops when clotting factor reaches the bleeding spot. Bleeding should be treated as quickly as possible. Quick treatment will help reduce pain and damage to the joints, muscles, and organs,” said Dr Sowdamini.
Janani went into postpartum haemorrhage – bleeding after babies are delivered – but the medical team was prepared for this condition and within 24 hours she was given four pints of blood and factor 8 drip was maintained to facilitate clotting. Dr Sowdamini said this complication was anticipated as when a woman gives birth to twins, her uterus is distended or stretched and doesn’t contract as in the case of a single baby delivery.
“First, Janani was given prophylactic factor 8, a coagulation factor, which is given to haemophilia patients so that they do not bleed profusely. Besides, O -ve blood units were stored readily in case of any abnormality during surgery. Janani’s surgery took about an hour and she gave birth to a healthy 2.9 kg boy and a 2.5 kg girl,” stated the doctor.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / May 12th, 2014