Chilean heart transplant recipient has baby 10 years later

Santiago, May 11 (IANS/EFE) A Chilean woman, who had a heart transplant in 2004, has given birth to a baby at the same hospital in Vina del Mar city where she was operated upon 10 years back, medical officials said.

"There are very few such cases in the world, there can't be more than 30 or 40 women who have had heart transplants and have successfully given birth afterwards," Ernesto Aranguiz, head of cardiovascular surgery at the Gustavo Fricke Hospital, told media Saturday.

Daillana Llanos, 29, is in excellent condition, as is her daughter who was born in her mother's 37th week of pregnancy, he said.

The woman had her heart transplant in November 2004 due to dilated cardiomyopathy, soon after having her first baby girl.

Daillana's heart "stopped functioning as an effect of giving birth to her daughter", Aranguiz said.

"We received her in very extreme condition but fortunately we had a donor and with that the chance to give her a new heart."

During her second pregnancy, the patient was under permanent observation at the hospital, said Gabriel Andwanter, head of the fetal medicine unit.

Daillana "was very nervous about the effect of the immunosuppressant drugs", he said.

"Fortunately, there was no problem... an elective caesarean section was planned and the final result has been very satisfactory," he said.

--IANS/EFE

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