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Pregnant Woman's Emergency C-Section Uncovers Something Even Bigger Than Her Baby

by Mary Fischer on May 25, 2012 at 9:01 AM

baby feetI've heard plenty of stories about pregnant women who needed to have emergency C-sections, but when I heard about Gemma Fletcher's incredible case? All I can say is wow -- just WOW. Gemma started having complications with her pregnancy at 32 weeks, and shockingly, doctors discovered a HUGE tumor on her kidney -- which actually weighed more than the baby girl she was carrying!

Doctors were worried about the tumor bursting, so she underwent an emergency Cesarean when she was 8 months pregnant. Gemma's daughter, Ava, weighed in at 6.4 pounds after delivery. And the tumor, yeah, that sucker tipped the scales at 7.5 pounds. (What are the odds?!)

Doctors think she had the benign tumor since birth, but her hormones during pregnancy caused it to grow. And it's a good thing that little Ava was delivered early, because it kept growing even more after she was born. OMG. Can you imagine if they'd waited any longer to deliver the baby? I mean, Gemma's delivery wasn't normal or easy, but it probably would've been much, much worse had that tumor gotten any larger.

She must've felt like she was carrying twins, and I can't even imagine her relief when her little girl came into the world safe and sound. Her jaw must have dropped when she found out her tumor was an entire pound larger than her baby! (I can't seem to get over that part.)

And I guess, in a way, baby Ava actually saved her mom's life, because the tumor may not have been discovered if Gemma hadn't been pregnant. Isn't it funny how things have a way of working out like that? Baby Ava is a true miracle -- in more ways than one.

Do you know anyone who found an unknown medical condition after becoming pregnant?


Image via Zorah Olivia/Flickr

Filed Under: birth stories, c-sections, complications

Comments

69
  • amccrea
    -- Nonmember comment from

    amccrea

    May 25, 2012 at 10:10 AM
    I just want to say I enjoy all your stories.
  • sweet...
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    sweetsinglemama

    May 25, 2012 at 10:12 AM
    My twenty yr old dd was twenty nine wk s pregnant and found out she had leukemia and started treatments immediatly but they had to induce her labor at thirty three wk s on feb the seventh this yr.
  • Kelly
    -- Nonmember comment from

    Kelly

    May 25, 2012 at 10:13 AM
    I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which was only discovered when I went in for my pregnancy pap. Addy was born May 28th 2011, and I had a total hysterectomy Jan 9, 2012. I'm proud to say I am now cancer free and my little girl saved my life.
  • mommy...
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    mommythree0508

    May 25, 2012 at 10:13 AM
    Wow,that would definitely be a shock.
  • Heath...
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    HeatherMazzone

    May 25, 2012 at 10:31 AM
    I'm confused, didn't they remove it when the baby was born? How did it keep growing after the birth?
  • Mrs.A...
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    Mrs.AdamSarah

    May 25, 2012 at 10:43 AM

    I think they had to wait a little while, a person isn't 'under' anestesia when they have a baby, a surgery to remove any organ or tumor and they need a different room/steralized equipment ect. Way different than a birthing doctor.


  • Coris...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Corisa Marie Buzbee

    May 25, 2012 at 10:45 AM

    I realize this is more common than I even realized, My Dakota, 4th pregnancy, VERY un-planned, being that my now Husband and I had only been dating for 4 months, and I was in the process of a Divorce from my other children's dad who was in prison. I began all of the testing and so forth, and found out I had Severe Dysplasia. Had I never gotten pregnant, I would have had full blown cancer within a year. They both saved my life! I gave my now husband his first born and only child, and they both gave me the gift of my life! And the opportunity to be here for my other 3 Angels as well <3


  • Babyj...
    -- Nonmember comment from

    Babyjsmom

    May 25, 2012 at 10:48 AM
    I had an emergency c-section at 35 weeks and during surgery it was discovered that my bowels had fused to my uterus. I had an anterior interbody lumbar fusion in 2005 after a bad car accident. The scar tissue from the abdominal incision had fused my bowels to my uterus. Undetected, this could have ABSOLUTELY killed me. So yes, my son was a miracle and did save my life!!
  • Maggi...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Maggie 'judge' Dillard

    May 25, 2012 at 11:46 AM

    misleading title!!!! The c section didnt uncover the tumor. the tumor was discov ered, so she had a c section. totally different. way to scare more women into thinking they have to have a c section!


  • Jaime...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Jaime Swift Sundin

    May 25, 2012 at 12:28 PM

    Maggie that is not true no one goes in saying dang i just want to have freaking surgery cause geeze is just gosh darn fun.  Are you kidding me.  Thank goodness this mama and her baby are ok, thats what matters most.


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