Being born without intestines and bowel inside the stomach, where they should be, can be pretty frightening as it can result to death. However, a miracle baby proved science wrong and baffled doctors when she survived with this serious medical condition.
Viral Nova reported how doctors warned 25-year-old Lucia Angell of Benington, Hertfordshire about the medical condition of her 16-week fetus during an ultrasound. She was told that the intestines and bowel of her baby were outside the stomach. It turned out that her child, Erin Angell-Field had a birth defect called gastroschisis and would most likely not make it through.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said gastroschisis is a rare birth defect that happens in one out of every 5,000 births. Under this condition, the abdominal wall of the fetus has a small hole that could force the internal organs out of the stomach. Most babies inflicted with this condition are usually dead at the time of birth.
Even though the disorder can occur during early pregnancy, some babies develop full-term but require surgery after birth to repair the hole in the abdomen. This is necessary to avoid digestion and absorption problems. Thus, when Erin was born, she was rushed to surgery where doctors tried to put most of her insides back.
Daily Mail said Erin stayed in the hospital for more than two months. During those times, she fought off various medical challenges related to her condition including sepsis or blood infection.
Today, Erin is 22 months old and thriving. According to her parents, she is still being strictly monitored.
Meanwhile, gastroschisis is caused by a lot of factors including genetics, environmental or related to certain medications ingested by the mother while pregnant. Researchers are trying to understand what causes this medical condition to prevent its occurrence in the future. In the meantime, doctors continue to be surprised at the resiliency of Erin, who has by now been tagged as a miracle baby.
