Representative Images: Canva
Pregnancy can be unpredictable, especially when medical complications arise. This was the case for a 29-year-old woman pregnant with IVF-conceived twins, who faced a critical, life-threatening situation.
Pregnancy can be nerve-wracking, unpredictable, and, at times, medically complex. Especially in urban settings where fertility treatments are on the rise, and so are pregnancy complications. On the other hand, foetal medicine is a cutting-edge field that does not just monitor babies in the womb; it actively treats them.
From mothers with underlying health conditions to foetuses with genetic disorders, there are many complicated pregnancies. But this particular case stood out. The woman in question was pregnant with twins who shared the same amniotic sac—a rare and risky condition on its own. One of the foetuses was diagnosed with Down syndrome. The family made the painful decision to terminate the affected baby, but it was not that easy. Because the twins shared a lifeline, eliminating one could endanger the other.
In most such cases, laser therapy is the go-to treatment. But Dr. Molshree Gupta, a senior foetal medicine expert at CK Birla Hospital, and her team decided to use microwave ablation technology.
In this, they block the blood vessel from the placenta to the unhealthy foetus using targeted microwave energy. This safely halts development in one baby while allowing the other to continue growing without interruption.
The whole thing took just one minute.
In 60 seconds, doctors performed a procedure that saved a baby’s life. The result? One thriving baby. One grateful mother. One very relieved doctor. All thanks to a field that is quietly revolutionising how we think about prenatal care.
Dr. Gupta says that microwave ablation is not just a faster and safer alternative to laser; it is also more affordable. That makes it a potential game changer in countries like India, where access to advanced medical care can vary dramatically.
Foetal medicine is all about turning what used to be helpless waiting into proactive healing. With the help of detailed ultrasounds, genetic testing, and a whole lot of technological finesse, doctors can now detect and treat many conditions before birth.
