A woman decided to carry a non-viable pregnancy to term, in which the fetus had a genetic anomaly that caused malformations at various levels incompatible with life, in order to help another baby through a transplant. Specifically, the heart valves were removed from the baby that died in childbirth, with which the life of a neonate affected by severe heart disease could be saved.
The intervention, a pioneer in Spain, was carried out at the Gregorio Marañón hospital in Madrid. Obtaining adequate tissues for the needs of these patients is complicated given that infant mortality is very low in Spain.
The Madrid Ministry of Health has reported that the donors have had a team of professionals throughout the process, both during the pregnancy and at the time of donation, who have accompanied them with close monitoring and exhaustive information.
The group of professionals comprised of an obstetrician, a neonatologist, a pediatric cardiologist, a psychologist, the transplant coordinator, cardiac surgeons, and nurses. Likewise, the procedure has been authorized by the Regional Transplant Office of the Community of Madrid and endorsed by the National Transplant Organization.
The beginning of the process was triggered during pregnancy, when it was discovered that the fetus had a genetic abnormality that caused malformations at various levels. The parents, aware of the high probability of intrauterine fetal death and the unfortunate prognosis, decided to continue with the pregnancy and requested information on the possibility of donating their son's organs and tissues.
Although the pregnancy reached term, fetal death occurred during childbirth. After attending to all the needs of the parents and the family, they reiterated their intention to continue with the donation. The Gregorio Marañón surgical team removed the heart to proceed with the valve donation within the protocol established by the Tissue Bank.
