On the morning of 18/12, in Hanoi, Trang and her husband from Ninh Binh brought their nearly one-month-old son to the announcement event for "Vietnam's first US-HIFU baby". This marks the first successful birth in Vietnam following uterine fibroid treatment using US-HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound guided by ultrasound) technology, according to Professor Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien, former Deputy Minister of Health and Chairman of the Vietnam Obstetrics and Gynecology Association.
Trang and her husband brought their son to the event. Photo: Thuan Nguyen
Before this joyous news, Trang experienced the pain of a miscarriage at 20 weeks. Doctors diagnosed her with multiple uterine fibroids, the largest measuring nearly 5 cm. This condition not only caused pain and prolonged bleeding but also made it difficult for her to maintain a pregnancy.
Determined to preserve her uterus to become a mother, Trang sought out Professor Tien in 11/2023 for US-HIFU treatment. Just one day after the intervention, she was able to walk and carry out normal activities, and was discharged from the hospital. A follow-up examination one month later showed the fibroid had shrunk from 5 cm to 2 cm.
Three months after treatment, Trang conceived naturally. Throughout her pregnancy, the fetus developed steadily while the fibroid continued to shrink. At 38 weeks of pregnancy, doctors at Thien An Obstetrics Hospital performed a C-section, safely delivering a baby boy weighing 3,4 kg.
Commenting on this clinical case, Professor Tien stated that it demonstrates how modern medicine offers hope for many women facing infertility due to fibroids or endometriosis. US-HIFU uses focused ultrasound waves directed precisely at diseased tissue, generating temperatures of 65-100 degrees Celsius in one second. This process causes necrosis and destroys the target tissue without harming surrounding healthy areas.
The Ministry of Health authorized the implementation of this technique in Hanoi in late 2023. At the event, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen proposed expanding US-HIFU nationwide to ensure residents can access high-quality treatment within the country. Currently, this technology is applied in over 30 countries and territories.
Le Nga
