Baby born healthy after spinal surgery inside the womb
A mum was relieved to see her newborn son kick his legs after he had spinal surgery while still inside the womb. Serena Nye, 24, was told after her 20-week pregnancy scan her unborn son had spina bifida. It meant his spine and spinal cord was not developing properly, causing a gap in his spine, leaving at high risk of weakness or total paralysis of his legs. Serena and partner Chris Bown, 26, were given the choice to continue normally, terminate the pregnancy, or have fetal surgery. So in an incredible operation, doctors took Serena's womb OUT of her body, at 26 weeks, to operate on her unborn son's spine via keyhole surgery. After the three hour operation, her womb - and baby - were stitched up back inside her body again until it was time to give birth. Tommy Bown was born six weeks later, at 31 weeks - and was able to kick his legs and feed normally as a result of the surgery. He spent four weeks in hospital before doting parents Serena and Chris brought him home, to Eastbourne, East Sussex. Thanks to the super advanced surgery, the tot, now three months old, is hitting all his milestones - and a scar on his back from the surgery is the only evidence of his op.
