Pre-Pregnancy Robotic Surgery Assists Cork Mum In Second Successful Birth

A woman from Cork has given birth to her second baby as a result of robotic surgery.

Last year Anne O'Mahoney was one of the first women in Europe to have been assisted in a successful pregnancy as a result of a procedure carried out by robotic surgery before pregnancy at Cork University Medical Hospital (CUMH).

This is the first time in Ireland that a mother has achieved a second full term pregnancy having had surgery with this robotic technique prior to pregnancy.

Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CUMH, Dr Barry O’Reilly explained the complex procedure used to assist women carry their babies to full term: "When a woman's cervix is weak (sometimes called an incompetent cervix) the woman is likely to have a pregnancy loss because the cervix begins to open in early pregnancy with resulting miscarriage. In order to prevent this devastating problem from recurring, we can perform a surgical procedure before a further pregnancy called an interval abdominal cervical cerclage (stitch) to keep the cervix closed for the future. A closed cervix helps a developing baby to remain inside the uterus until the mother reaches 37-38 weeks of pregnancy and the baby is then delivered by elective Caesarean section so that the stitch can stay in position for future pregnancies. In most hospitals this procedure is performed through an open abdominal incision requiring a long hospital stay and recovery period. In CUMH this procedure is carried out via da Vinci robotic surgery. We are delighted that this technology is available for this type of surgery. The da Vincisurgical system benefits patients because it involves less pain and scarring, reduced risk of infection, reduced blood loss and fewer transfusions, quicker recovery time and discharge from hospital and return to normal activities."

Delighted parents Anne and Patrick O'Mahony from Donoughmore are overjoyed at the arrival of their new baby girl Zoey, on 12th December 2012.

(CD/GK)