Jessica had her first operation in womb

Louise George’s daughter Jessica had surgery on her heart while in the womb after a 20-week scan detected a serious congenital defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Louise, 38, from Slough, who is married Michael and is mum to daughter Sophie, three, says: Taking in the results of that 20-week scan was horrific – doctors told us the severity of our baby’s condition meant it was unlikely she’d be suitable for surgery, so it was game over. Thankfully surgeons at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford agreed to carry out a never-tried-before procedure. So at 28 weeks Jessica was operated on – inside me – to enlarge the hole in the wall between the top two chambers of the heart and improve the blood flow to the left side of her heart.

Miraculously that was successful and meant surgery after the birth might now work – but only might.

Jessica was born on September 6, 2011, and had her first open heart surgery at eight hours old. She had the second procedure a week later and left hospital after four weeks. At 14 weeks old another procedure was carried out, followed by a fourth at seven months.

She’s basically had her heart re-plumbed so the right side does all the work. Every operation, every challenge, she was a trooper and came out fighting.

Jessica’s now a bubbly and happy five-year-old who’s doing very well, and it’s expected that the final piece in the surgery jigsaw will take place this summer.

We’d planned to have Jessica at home, so without that 20-week scan it’s likely she wouldn’t be here today. Her future is, and will always be, uncertain but we thank God every day for her.