FIVE-ORGAN MULTIVISCERAL TRANSPLANT PATIENT IS THE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH

Fatema Al Ansari, mother; Khalifa Alhayal, father; and Alkadi Alhayal, baby; Salih Y. Yasin, M.D., UM/Jackson OB/GYN and director of obstetrics and patient safety at Jackson Women’s Hospital Center; Ji Fan, M.D., liver and gastrointestinal transplant surgeon at Miami Transplant Institute at UM/Jackson; and Akin Tekin, M.D., liver and gastrointestinal transplant surgeon at Miami Transplant Institute at UM/Jackson.

Fatema Al Ansari, then a 19-year-old native of Qatar, was diagnosed with a condition called mesenteric thrombosis – a clot that blocks the blood flow of a vein that carries blood from the intestine. The debilitating condition caused her abdominal organs to fail. Already two months pregnant, Fatema was placed on blood thinners but her condition grew worse as her liver, pancreas, stomach, and small and large intestine continued to fail. Making matters worse, her pregnancy further put her life in danger and it had to be terminated. With no more options left in Qatar, she was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital to seek medical treatment in 2007.

Two months later, Fatema successfully received the gift of life at Jackson Memorial. It was a five-organ multivisceral transplant that gave her a new liver, pancreas, stomach, and small and large intestine. “I knew getting a transplant would save my life, but I also hoped that one day I could be healthy enough to get pregnant again,” said Fatema.

Never giving up hope, at 26 years of age, Fatema and her husband returned to Miami and Jackson to attempt to realize their dream of becoming parents. She became pregnant via in vitro fertilization treatments. Due to her previous medical condition, Fatema’s pregnancy was considered high risk. She remained in Miami and was monitored closely by her team of transplant doctors and OB/GYNs at Jackson. “Once I became pregnant, I wanted to be close to my doctors at Jackson, where I felt safe and calm. I knew I was in good hands,” said Fatema. 

Fatema delivered a healthy baby girl at Jackson – becoming the first five-organ transplant patient in the world to conceive and deliver a child. In her 36th week, she delivered her baby girl via C-section on February 26. Little Alkadi Alhayal weighed four pounds, seven ounces. Fatema says she feels blessed because her pregnancy had no complications. “My baby is a gift from God.  She is a miracle,” said Fatema.  Doctors say mom and baby are healthy.  

Fatema and her husband will share their story and will introduce their miracle baby during a  press conference alongside her team of doctors.

March

13, 2013, 02:00 p.m.- 03:00 p.m.

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Ira C. Clark Diagnostic Treatment Center, Room 259
Corner of Northwest 12th Avenue and 19th Street

*Media can park in front of the DTC.