When the heart of an unborn baby began racing uncontrollably and its life hung in the balance, doctors in Jaipur stepped in with a rare treatment that gave the child a fresh chance at life. The achievement came at the fetal cardiology department of the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Jaipur, where the baby's heart was successfully treated while it was still in the womb.
The case dates back to the 25th week of pregnancy, when tests revealed that the fetus had a serious heart-rhythm disorder called supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT. Because of this condition, the heart of the baby growing in the womb was beating at an extremely fast rate. This abnormal and uncontrolled rhythm made the situation extremely delicate, as it raised the serious risk of heart failure and even death inside the womb. The condition could have proved life-threatening for both the mother and the child.
An accurate diagnosis and an immediate response
Dr. Prerna Bhatt, a fetal and pediatric cardiologist at the hospital, correctly identified the baby's serious condition and began specialised treatment without delay. To handle the critical situation, the pregnant woman was given transplacental anti-arrhythmic therapy. The medicines delivered through this advanced therapy worked so effectively that the fetal heart rate returned to normal within just 72 hours.
After this treatment under the doctors' supervision, the baby's heart rate stayed normal continuously for the next 10 weeks. As a result, the baby continued to develop safely in the womb without any further complications.
Delivery in the 35th week, followed by discharge
The doctors' team then carried out a safe cesarean delivery in the 35th week of pregnancy. Even after birth, the newborn was once again given the necessary medicines under anti-arrhythmic therapy so that its heartbeat could be kept fully under control. Once the newborn's heart rate became completely normal, the hospital management discharged both the mother and the baby in good health.
The treatment carried out by Dr. Prerna Bhatt was a complete success, and the newborn is now fully healthy. Successfully treating a heart condition this way while the baby is still in the womb is being regarded as extremely rare.
