Prematurity

Its some of the best news hopeful parents-to-be will ever hear: Youre pregnant. It happened to one Newburgh couple. In fact, they found out they were pregnant with twins. But the joy Kim ODonohue and her husband shared turned to fear when doctors told them Kim had a condition called Vasa Previa. A precious blood vessel lay on top of her cervex unprotected. It was one babys entire lifeline. And if it ruptured, the babys blood would fatally drain in minutes. Whats worse, doctors at one Evansville hospital have never seen a case of it where the baby survived. The ODonohues went to lots of doctors appointments and each time, they say it seemed like more bad news. At 26 weeks doctors discovered a problem that would turn the couples world upside down. It was Luke, the healthy twin. It turns out, Kim had a condition in her cervex called Vasa Previa that threatened to drain Lukes blood. At 29 weeks, a baby is barely viable, but thats when Kim started having contractions. Seven an hour. Doctors decided to keep her overnight. Out came the big drugs, the ones that put the brakes on a womans labor, but kim contracted right through them. The neo-natal intensive care unit was put on alert. Through the night, Kims contractions slowed to a safe level. Through out the next three and half weeks, she labored, relying on drugs to keep her contractions down. Then one morning, her water broke. The placenta vessels, the ones keeping Lukes blood in his body, broke. It happened in the only spot possible in which the baby had any chance to live. Kim underwent an emergency c-section. Both babies were born small, but alive. Conner at 3 pounds, Luke at 5. The nurses at St. Marys told the ODonohues their sons are the only babies theyve seen survive Vasa Previa. Today, the boys are healthy and happy 6 month olds. Babies who have, in their short lives, beaten some remarkable odds. The ODonohues were a signature family at the March Of Dimes Annual Chefs Auction this fall. March Of Dimes raises research dollars to combat conditions that affect babies. Tomorrow is prematurity awareness day. The march of dimes will be recognzing the day with a vigil at Ivy Tech College. Its for any family whos been affected by prematurity or other birth problems.