A unique event occurred in a 25-week-old fetus. This fetus was "born twice" after being diagnosed with severe congenital heart defects and a high risk of stillbirth. However, this fetus was successfully saved through complex fetal heart intervention.
Melansir VietnamNews This story begins when KK Women's and Children's Hospital Referring to pregnant women at 25 weeks in Singapore Children's Hospital 1 dan Tu Du Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Singapore doctors diagnosed the fetus with severe congenital heart defects. However, advanced procedures for fetal heart intervention are still too early to be available in Singapore.
Fetal heart procedure at 25 weeks that is high risk
This heart procedure is very rare and full of risks. However, the fetal intervention specialists and pediatric heart experts from two hospitals in Vietnam successfully performed a complex heart intervention in the womb.
This case marks the ninth fetal heart intervention performed at a hospital in HCM City and the first time the procedure has been done on a foreign patient. Even the doctors say this is the most technically complex case to date.
This heart operation is considered the most technically challenging due to the very early stage of the fetus's pregnancy. The weight of a 25-week-old fetus is only 600 grams, and the severity of the condition diagnosed is a rare and life-threatening condition known as aortic atresia.
While her 41-year-old mother is expecting her first child in September 2025 after more than 10 years of infertility, she successfully became pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Her pregnancy journey has been difficult.
The patient underwent a comprehensive fetal heart assessment at a hospital in Vietnam, which confirmed the initial diagnosis. Medical teams from two Vietnamese hospitals then conducted a virtual consultation with leading experts from Australia and France. All agreed on the diagnosis and the need for urgent intervention to save the fetus.
Melansir VietnamPlus, The decision by a leading hospital in Singapore to proactively refer a patient to Ho Chi Minh City for treatment not only reflects confidence in local medical expertise but also acknowledges ASEAN's recognition of advanced fetal medicine capabilities in Vietnam.
Two separate procedures on a 25-week fetus
The Singapore couple expressed deep gratitude for the dedication, tireless efforts, and full-hearted support of the Vietnamese medical team during their stay in Vietnam. Despite the critical condition of the fetus, the doctors remained committed to saving the baby.
Janin underwent two separate procedures. The first, performed on May 22nd, lasted more than two hours but was unsuccessful. The doctors could not access the left heart chamber because the fetus remained in a face-down position.
After strict supervision from Ho Chi Minh City Health Department Director Tang Chi Thuong and leaders at both hospitals, a multidisciplinary team held an emergency consultation. Because the fetal condition worsened, the experts agreed to attempt a second intervention. On May 28th, the surgical team succeeded.
Dr. Do Nguyen Tin, head of the interventional cardiology unit at Children's Hospital 1 , recalling the emotional moment when the procedure was successful.
"Everyone shed tears—our team and the families," he said. "That was a moment of relief and hope," he stated, as reported. Tuoitre.
Dr. Tin also noted that treating foreign patients adds pressure to procedures that are already difficult. Hopes are high, especially after initial efforts fail, but the team remains focused and determined.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health praised this achievement as a historical milestone in the city's medical progress. Officials commended the results, attributing them to strategic investments and strong collaboration among specialists in obstetrics, pediatric cardiology, neonatal anesthesia, and diagnostic imaging.
The department also praised the entire team—including doctors, technicians, and nurses—for their dedication in mastering advanced fetal intervention techniques and their efforts to save lives even before birth.
Why is it called 'born twice'?
Dilansir IndianTimes, The baby was seemingly born twice because the doctor intervened by lifting the mother's uterus while it was still inside with the baby to perform surgery that could save her life.
Born twice refers simply to the procedure happening two times. fetal surgery or surgery on the fetus while it is still in the womb. In some extreme cases, the fetus must be partially removed from the uterus to undergo critical medical procedures, after which the fetus is reinserted into the mother's uterus to continue the pregnancy.
Although this procedure is full of risks to both the mother and the fetus, in certain cases it becomes the only way to save the baby from life-threatening congenital abnormalities.
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