Woman becomes first heart transplant patient to give birth
Awoman from Argentina has become the first heart transplant patient in the world to give birth to a daughter following IVF treatment.
Juliana Finondo, 39, from Buenos Aires, had a successful heart transplant in 1999, but was childless at the time.
She gave birth to baby Emilia earlier this month with the help of staff at the high risk pregnancy centre in Buenos Aires.
Doctors warned Ms Finondo against trying for a baby following surgery because pregnancy causes women to have 40 per cent more blood, putting extra strain on her new heart.
Gustavo Leguizamon, head of the Buenos Aires high risk pregnancy centre, said: ‘There is no record in the world of a transplant patient who has achieved pregnancy through in vitro fertilization.
‘This could lead to not enough blood getting to the uterus, causing the baby to grow less.’
Mr Leguizamon said a premature birth was also a possible risk.
Drugs which help avoid new organs being rejected by transplant patients make pregnancy difficult, and their effects on the unborn child are unknown.
Medication needed to perform IVF can cause further complications, according to Ricardo James, a reproductive specialist at the centre. But the health risks did not put off graphic designer Ms Finondo, who was determined to have a child with her husband, Gerardo Tuya. She told AFP: ‘I was never afraid. Maybe I’m too optimistic.’