Baby Saved By Emergency Heart Operation After Catching Cold In The Womb

14-month-old Austin Cank’s mum was three months pregnant with him when he caught a cold and doctors told his distraught parents that he would not survive. According to DailyMail, at 36 weeks, Mrs Cank went into labour and Austin arrived weighing 4lb 12oz. Four days after, Austin was allowed home, however, a medical check-up the following week discovered that Austin’s heart had been damaged by the virus and he needed immediate surgery. Thankfully, the little lad pulled through.

His excited mum, Tina, 31, said:

“Austin is such a boisterous and happy little child that it is hard to believe now how ill he was. There were many times we thought he was going to die. There were so many times we thought, after coming so far, we’d still lose him. Now he still needs check-ups but he is full of beans.”

Tests on fluid in the womb found traces of the Coxsackie B virus, which usually gives the sufferer mild flu-like symptoms but can cause inflammation of the heart muscle.

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According to a consultant in foetal medicine, Dr Bryan Beattie: ‘It’s very rare that it causes any harm to the baby, and most babies born to mums who had it in pregnancy are absolutely fine.’