UK baby ‘Born Twice’ as doctors remove mother’s womb mid-pregnancy for cancer surgery

A baby boy in the UK has been described as having been “born twice” after doctors performed a rare and life-saving operation on his mother while he was still in the womb.

The extraordinary case involved Lucy Isaac, 32, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 12 weeks pregnant following a routine scan.

Faced with the dilemma of delaying treatment or risking the baby’s life, doctors opted for an unprecedented surgical approach.

At 20 weeks into the pregnancy, a team of 15 medical professionals, led by Dr Hooman Soleymani Majd, temporarily removed Lucy’s womb, while the unborn baby, later named Rafferty, remained inside, to remove tumours hidden behind it.

Throughout the five-hour surgery, Lucy’s uterus remained connected to her blood supply via the uterine artery, ensuring that the baby received essential oxygen and nutrients.

To keep conditions stable for Rafferty, the womb, about the size of a football, was wrapped in sterile, warm saline packs and carefully monitored throughout the surgery. His heart rate and temperature were closely watched, and the packs were replaced every 20 minutes to maintain the correct warmth.

 Once the tumours were removed, Lucy’s womb was gently returned to her body, and the pregnancy continued as normal. Rafferty was eventually born safely at the end of January, weighing 6lb 5oz.

 Lucy said she felt “incredibly lucky” to have been diagnosed and treated in time, especially as she had experienced no symptoms. Her husband, Adam, a musician and former Voice UK contestant who underwent a kidney transplant just two years earlier, described finally holding their son as “the most amazing moment”, as reported by The Daily Mail.