Summary University of Debrecen

Summary of the Scientific breakthrough at the University of Debrecen Medical
and Health Science Centre (DE OEC)
The baby who was born by caesarean section in July 2013 ninety days after its
mother had been declared brain dead is now at home and well. Doctor's had kept
the mother on life support until the child could be born safely. Following the
birth, the 31 year old woman's life functions were maintained for a further two
days, during which time her organs were removed with the consent of her family
and were transplanted into awaiting recipients. This human drama and
incredible medical success story occurred at the University of Debrecen Medical
and Health Science Centre.
The 31 year old woman, who was pregnant with a 15-week foetus, was at home when
she had a stroke and lost consciousness. After being taken to hospital the woman was
immediately operated on and the intervention was a success, but she did not regain
consciousness and fell into a coma. Having been declared brain dead, she was kept on
life support; her heart was kept beating and she received mechanical ventilation and
treatment to keep her organs functioning. Examinations showed that her foetus was
not only alive, but was actively moving.
Her partner, the father, the woman's parents and her doctors were faced with an
extraordinary decision; what can and should they do? Should they leave the 15-week
old foetus to die or should they attempt the practically impossible, to keep the
mother's body alive and enable the foetus to continue developing in the womb until it
can be viably born? The family and doctors came to the mutual decision that they
would fight for the survival of the planned and much-awaited baby.
The fight was a success. While having to overcome innumerable medical problems,
they succeeded in achieving the continued development of the foetus within the
womb. From the 20th week, the nurses called the foetus by name and spoke to it. The
family also visited them regularly; the father and the grandmothers stroked the
mother's belly and spoke to the child, and the radio was on all day in the hospital
room so that the foetus could always hear human voices and music…
It was an indescribable moment when in July 2013, in the 27th week of the pregnancy
and 90 days after the mother had fallen into a coma, the child was born with caesarean
section and let out its first cry! A healthy, suitably developed premature baby was
born with a weight of 1420 grams.
The doctors and the family decided that the mother's organs should be used to help
others. Accordingly, five healthy organs were removed from the mother's body on the
92nd day of her having been admitted to hospital. Treating the mother thus enabled
the lives of another four people to also be saved.
Thanks to the high quality neonatal care, the child is in good health and is developing
normally. The baby was discharged from hospital in October 2013 and is now at
home.

The family is unwilling to go public and the father and grandparents are asking the
media to honour the interests of the child, who is now growing up at home in peace,
and not to pursue them.