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For Michelle Mascus, loving baby Madison comes very easy.
I've always loved children and I've always wanted a baby of my own.
But the journey from pregnancy to delivery was very hard.
I do know that a lot of cardiologists don't feel like pregnancy should occur if you have
Marfan's.
Marfan's syndrome is a disease of connective tissue and the elasticity of the connective
tissue. The particular concerns in pregnancy relate
to cardiovascular concerns.
Dr. Lauren Dungy-Poythress is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
She was part of the elite team that made sure both Michelle and baby could withstand the
demands that pregnancy places on mom's heart. Because of Michelle's Marfan's, they had planned
all along to deliver Madison at 34 weeks. But at 31 weeks, doctors discovered mom's
amniotic fluid was low. They also noticed the baby's heart rate was
dropping as Michelle experienced contractions. So the bundle of joy would have to arrive
even earlier. It was careful coordination of care by a team
of specialists.
There's a team for the baby, a team for the mom, and then a team in the event that we
needed to do some urgent cardiac surgery.
So, inside The Indiana Heart Hospital, a neonatologist, cardiologist, ob/gyn, anesthesiologist, maternal-fetal
medicine specialist were all hands on deck.
That was overwhelming, but it was comforting to know that I had all those people in there.
While the delivery certainly wasn't routine, it went smoothly.
Madison arrived healthy, weighing three pounds and one ounce.
She's a testament to teamwork.
For me, it was like watching a football play that when the pass was thrown, that the receiver
met the ball right at the right time. It was awesome. When everybody blocks at the
right time...
Michelle and Madison are inspirations to those living with Marfan's who question whether
motherhood is even possible.
I just feel like every woman, if she wants to, should have the chance to have a baby
of her own.
Baby Madison remains at the neonatal intensive care unit at Community Hospital North, which
is next door to The Indiana Heart Hospital. She'll likely stay there until her actual
due date, which is November 22, just to make sure that she keeps gaining weight and learns
to eat on her own.