Dr. Nguyen Thi Sim (left) performing a fetal intervention. (Photo: vov.vn) Since the 2010s, fetal medicine has developed and gained many achievements.
However, in Vietnam, accessing information as well as learning the techniquesof fetal intervention was still difficult.
At that time, many cases that came to the hospital for prenatal diagnosis werealready in serious condition so fetuses that had anomalies but could not bekept or faced serious defects.
Witnessing the suffering of mothers and their families, Sim and her colleagueshad a great desire to apply fetus intervention techniques in Vietnam.
“At that time, no obstetric facilities in Vietnam had fetal interventioncentres. Many families had to accept stillbirth or a baby with permanentdefects," Sim told vov.vn.
In 2018, the Hanoi People's Committee had international cooperation with themanagement agency of public hospitals of Paris, France, and Sim was the firstand only doctor selected to study in France on fetal intervention and babydisease treatment from the womb.
Along with human resource training, the Hanoi Obstetrics and GynecologyHospital was also fully prepared with European standard sterile operating roomsand equipment such as positive pressure air filtration to deploy fetalintervention techniques in Vietnam, Sim said.
The first cases of fetal intervention were done by a French professor. Sincethen, successful interventions have brought healthy babies into the world, shesaid.
"All cases of fetal intervention have been successful, the babies wererevived," said Sim.
Recalling the success of the first fetal interventions, the doctor said thatthe first case was a teacher with twins fetuses that were discovered to haveblood transfusion syndrome.
The mother was terribly shocked and afraid of losing her children because atthat time this syndrome could not be cured in Vietnam and the family could notafford to go abroad for treatment, the doctor said.
Fortunately, these first cases of fetal intervention were provided through anational project, so all funding was free.
The mother and her family were very happy.
“During the intervention, the mother only needed local anesthetia and wasalways awake. She was hearing everything the doctor said,” Sim said.
The surgery was successful and after one to two days in the hospital, the twofetuses were in good condition.
By the time they were born, the two babies were totally healthy. After that,the mother took the children to see the doctor and said that both of them wereSim's children.
“Until now, the doctors and nurses still keep in touch with the family and areregularly updated with developmental milestones of the children from crawling,talking and walking,” Sim said.
The efforts of the whole team and the proper investment of the hospital havereaped valuable rewards.
The number of babies saved in the womb increased year by year from one baby,then 10 babies, 100 babies to thousands of babies.
For doctors, this confirms that Vietnam’s medical capabilities are approachinga world-class level.
Sim said that at present, the centre had received foreign patients from Japan,Singapore and Mongolia to get the intervention.
Mother Sim
For Dr. Sim, every baby that comes to her is a blessing.
The couples are in different circumstances and moods. Some women have had manymiscarriages, some have been infertile for a long time, or some are shockedbecause they suddenly discovered abnormalities with their babies.
Each person has a different story.
“Whenever a baby is born, parents let him or her call me a mother because Iaccompany the pregnant women and their families for a long time. So I myselfhave always considered the babies as my own,” the doctor said.
Now, Sim's fanpage is filled with images of little angels born in theoverwhelming happiness of many couples, which seemed impossible before.
After the success of the first intervention cases, by early 2022, the Centrefor Prenatal and Neonatal Screening and Diagnosis was established and Dr. Simwas assigned as the deputy director.
So far, the centre has performed hundreds of fetal intervention cases.
Fetal intervention is a very deep field of obstetrics.
Fetal intervention doctors have to solve many problems of pregnant women andfetuses such as treating diseases for pregnant women and fetuses, performingtechniques such as ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis, providing treatment andimplementing fetal interventions, and giving advice for high-risk pregnanciesas well as diet and medicine for mothers.
Fetal interventions need co-operation and consultations among experts ingenetics, paediatrics, diagnostic imaging and pathology to provide patients theright treatment.
According to the doctor, the fetal intervention includes using drugs to treatmothers to save babies from metabolic diseases, applying external techniques ofobstetrics support to help the mother overcome complications, and finally,intervening directly to the fetuses.
Previously, a diagnosis would be carried out with amniotic fluid for a 17- weekor older fetus. But now it is possible to perform a biopsy of the placenta at10-14 weeks and can make genetic diagnosis for the fetuses as well.
This technique brings many benefits for detecting diseases early. If thefetuses have no possibility of intervention or severe malformations, it ispossible to terminate the pregnancy early avoiding complications due to lateintervention.
Dr. Sim herself experienced two pregnancies with many difficulties andobstetric complications, so her sympathy with her patients is great.
“There are women at 32-34 weeks that find out that the fetuses have defectswith serious genetic diseases that can not live when born. But at that time, ifthe pregnancy was stopped, the risk of complications for the mothers would begreat. Knowing a child's prognosis is not good but still having to maintainpregnancy every day is really painful," Sim said.
The current concept of obstetrics has changed.
In the past, fetuses with only a few grams or 1kg could not be nourished. Butnow, the fetus is taken care of from the womb.
After the intervention, mothers and fetuses continue to be counselled and caredfor to mature. Until birth, babies will continue to be cared for by the neonatologistin the most timely and best way for the babies, according to the doctor./.
VNA
