China's first heart-lung transplant recipient gives birth to baby girl

CHANGSHA -- A 28-year-old woman who received a combined heart and lung transplant gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Nov 15, according to a press conference held in a hospital in Central China's Hunan province Thursday.

The woman named Xiaoying (pseudonym) became the first patient to have a combined heart and lung transplant and later deliver a baby successfully in China, according to the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University.

The baby girl is one month old, and the mother and daughter are in good health condition.

Xiaoying suffered from congenital absence of ventricular and secondary pulmonary hypertension which gradually developed into Eisenmenger's syndrome.

She successfully underwent the combined heart and lung transplant at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University on Oct 17, 2014, and recovered well with the help of doctors.

In 2020, Xiaoying got married and hoped to have a baby. Doctors with the hospital stopped the drugs affecting Xiaoying's pregnancy and fetal development in advance, adjust the anti-rejection drugs and immunosuppression programs in real-time in order to help her prepare for pregnancy and delivery.

The hospital also gathered experts to carry out consultations many times and work out a delivery plan for her. Xiaoying received a cesarean section at the 38th week of pregnancy and successfully gave birth to her daughter.

Currently, the hospital continues to provide health monitoring services for Xiaoying and her baby.