Doctors at Gia Dinh People's Hospital's Department of Gastroenterological Surgery consulted with the Obstetrics and Neonatal Pathology departments to devise a treatment plan that would ensure the mother's safety while giving the fetus a chance at life. The agreed-upon approach was to nurture the pregnancy until 32-34 weeks, provided the mother didn't experience bowel obstruction. If this complication arose, emergency surgery would be necessary to save her.
In the following weeks, the medical team closely monitored for dangerous signs like bowel obstruction, bleeding, exhaustion, and metastasis risk. They also checked the fetus's health through ultrasounds, Doppler ultrasounds, and fetal heart monitoring, while guiding the expectant mother in at-home fetal monitoring. Concurrently, the mother received corticosteroids to promote the baby's lung development and medication to protect their brain in preparation for a cesarean section.
At 32 weeks, the surgery took place on 7/8. Doctors performed a C-section while simultaneously removing a 10 cm section of the colon affected by the malignant tumor. The 1.7 kg baby boy cried loudly upon entering the world, while the mother successfully endured the challenging surgery.
A week later, the mother recovered well and was discharged, continuing her cancer treatment. The premature son, now receiving special care in the Neonatal Pathology Department, is off oxygen support, feeding well, and preparing to go home.
"Hearing my baby's first cry gave me strength. I knew I had to live to raise him," the mother said.
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The baby boy is being cared for at the Neonatal Pathology Department, Gia Dinh People's Hospital. Photo: Hospital provided |
The baby boy is being cared for at the Neonatal Pathology Department, Gia Dinh People's Hospital. Photo: Hospital provided
On 23/8, Doctor Hua Thi Chi of the Obstetrics Department at Gia Dinh People's Hospital described this as a significant challenge, requiring doctors to safeguard both the mother's life and the baby's chance of survival. The success stemmed from the seamless collaboration between multiple departments, but most importantly, from the mother's resilience and her family's support.
Colon cancer during pregnancy is rare, occurring in approximately one in 13,000 to 50,000 pregnancies. Symptoms are easily mistaken for normal pregnancy changes, leading to late diagnoses. Doctors advise pregnant women experiencing unusual digestive issues, such as bloody mucus in stool, diarrhea, persistent constipation, lingering abdominal pain, anemia, or weight loss, to seek immediate medical attention and multi-specialty consultations. Timely diagnosis can save both mother and child.
Le Phuong
