A team of doctors at International Modern Hospital (IMH) in Dubai successfully performed a near-death Caesarean section, saving the lives of a 31-year-old mother, Maryam Mohd Kalim Siddiqui, and her premature baby. The incident occurred on May 26 when Maryam was rushed to the hospital after experiencing seizures at home due to severe hypertension.
Maryam, who was 27 weeks pregnant, had a history of hypertension and had previously experienced complications during her first pregnancy five years ago. Upon her arrival at IMH, doctors diagnosed her with eclampsia and immediately began treatment. However, Maryam suffered another seizure just ten minutes later, leading to a cardiac arrest.
Her older sister, Sa’adia, recounted the critical moments to Khaleej Times: “My sister had a cardiac arrest and her heart stopped for more than 30 minutes.” The medical team at IMH performed continuous CPR for half an hour until spontaneous circulation was restored. Maryam was then intubated and transferred to the ICU for post-cardiac arrest care.
Given the severity of the situation and the gestational age of the fetus, the medical team decided to perform a perimortem cesarean section, a rare and critical procedure. “It has a very low success rate in saving both lives of mother and baby, with only a few documented cases worldwide,” the team noted.
Miraculously, both mother and baby survived. Maryam gave birth to a baby boy, named Musa, who weighed 1.3 kg at birth. On Monday, Maryam was extubated and, according to doctors, recovered without any neurological deficits, though she remains in the ICU for further monitoring. Baby Musa continues to receive care in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“The successful outcome of this rare and complex case highlights the importance of effective teamwork and coordination in emergency situations,” IMH stated, praising their medical team for their prompt and coordinated efforts.