Surgeons remove unborn baby from mother's womb for operation, then put it back

After the doctors discovered that the baby of Bethan Simpson had spina bifida, they gave her the option to terminate their pregnancy or opt for the new procedure called fetal surgery.

LONDON: In a revolutionary operation, surgeons from University College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital, successfully removed an unborn baby from its mother's womb, performed some surgery on the baby and then returned it back to mother's womb.

After the doctors discovered that the baby of 26-year-old Bethan Simpson had spina bifida, they gave her the option to terminate their pregnancy or opt for the new procedure called fetal surgery.

Simpson, who lives in Essex, UK, wrote on Facebook that it was very easy for her to choose the second option.

The operation took place once Simpson reached 24 weeks. The surgeons removed the foetus from Simpson's womb, repaired its spinal cord, and then successfully put the baby back in the mother's womb for the remainder of the pregnancy.

"I had the most recognised surgeons from around the world from University College London Hospital and Belgium looking after me," Simpson wrote on Facebook.