Durban - Baby Smangaliso yawned and stretched in his mother’s arms on Thursday, unaware of the fuss around him, as the nurse who played an integral role in saving his life was recognised for her work.
Smangaliso Ntetha, now just over two weeks old, underwent an operation while still in his mother Thandazile’s womb for a rare foetal cardiac condition.
On Thursday clinical nurse practitioner Primrose Goge, who was the first to pick up the problem with Smangaliso’s heartbeat, was overwhelmed when KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo arrived at the Shakaskraal clinic to thank her.
The foetal cardiac condition, a vascular malformation in the outer chamber of the heart, was causing fluid to leak into the space around the heart which could have led to cardiac arrest or the death of the child.
Dhlomo said Goge’s intervention emphasised the importance of pregnant women attending regular antenatal check-ups.
Goge said Ntetha had come to the clinic when she was 28 weeks pregnant for a routine check-up. “During the 28 weeks check-up, you have to listen to the baby’s heart and when I listened using the fetoscope I realised something was wrong. The heartbeat was irregular.”
Goge referred Ntetha to Groutville clinic for an ultrasound, but there was a power failure and she was then referred to Stanger Hospital.
The ultrasound confirmed what Goge had heard and Ntetha was referred to the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital.
At the hospital a procedure called foetal pericardiocentesis was performed, where fluid from around the foetal heart is extracted to relieve compression on the heart, when Ntetha was 29 weeks along in her pregnancy.
In a media statement from the health department, Dr Ismail Bhorat, head of the Foetal Unit at Albert Luthuli Hospital, who performed the surgery, described this as an extremely rare case, with only 22 others reported worldwide. The condition is seen in only one in 300 000 pregnancies.
Smangaliso was born by caesarean section at the hospital on November 2.
Ntetha, a mother of four, said she was extremely grateful for Goge’s efforts and diligence.
She said she had been very worried when told what was wrong but she was glad that her son was healthy.
Goge, who said she became a nurse because she loved people, has extensive experience and has worked at several hospitals in the province.
She said her dream was to become a medical doctor.
Dhlomo said the department would commit to help her follow her dreams and presented her with a certificate of recognition.
The Mercury