Obstetrics & Gynecology: Patient Stories
Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Complex Surgery Gives Baby a Chance at Life
A routine ultrasound during a prenatal check-up revealed a large bulky mass on the neck of Shenella Parker's unborn child. Parker was referred to the University of Chicago Maternal-Fetal Center where a multidisciplinary team of obstetricians, pediatric surgeons and others performed a complex surgery to remove the tumor and ensure that the baby could breathe. Some parts of the procedure were performed while the baby was partly in utero -- still receiving blood and oxygen through her mother's umbilical cord.
Transabdominal Cerclage for Incompetent Cervix
Procedure Helps Family Find Happiness After History of Loss
On the path to parenthood, Michele Arick suffered multiple losses: five miscarriages, two ectopic pregnancies, and the loss of a son, Matthew, during the 21st week of pregnancy. She also struggled with infertility issues. After being diagnosed with cervical insufficiency -- and nearly losing another child after a failed transvaginal cerclage (TVC) treatment -- Arick traveled from Iowa to Chicago to have a transabdominal cerclage (TAC) treatment performed by Arthur Haney, MD. After having the TAC at the University of Chicago Medical Center, Arick had two healthy baby girls.
Memphis Family Recovers from Tragedy to Welcome Baby Girl into the World
Five years after delivering a baby girl, Mandy Polatty was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix at 19 weeks into her second pregnancy. Yet just a week after having a transvaginal cerclage treatment for her condition, Mandy delivered a stillborn boy. Mandy and her husband researched their options online and found Arthur Haney, MD, a well-known expert in transabdominal cerclage, a treatment for incompetent cervix that has a higher success rate than transvaginal cerclage. After having a prepregnancy transabdominal cerclage treatment at the University of Chicago Medical Center, Mandy delivered a healthy girl.
