Ashley’s pregnancy with Baby Eloise started normally, with an expected due date of April 27th, 2020 (aside from Ashley feeling severely ill and her retroverted uterus). A completely different start than her older sister Aggie’s gestation, in which Ashley felt great almost the entire time.
With Ashley’s retroverted uterus and a small ulcer on the umbilical cord, we had a few more ultra sounds than the previous pregnancy. It was a blessing in disguise because on December 16th, 2019 we went in for a follow up 21 week ultra sound to get better images of baby’s heart and brain. It was at this appointment we found out that there were some concerns with Eloise’s heart.
Twenty-four anxiety ridden hours later, we had an appointment with a maternal fetal medicine specialist in Fargo. After an extensive ultrasound and an echocardiogram, Eloise was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA).
TGA is a complex congenital heart defect. In a normal heart there are two large arteries that carry blood out of the heart. In children with TGA these arteries are connected to the heart abnormally. The aorta is attached to the right ventricle instead of the left. The pulmonary is attached to the left ventricle instead of the right. Children with TGA require open heart surgery through a procedure called Arterial Switch Operation (ASO). During gestation Eloise is otherwise a healthy baby as she receives oxygen from Ashley.
We will be giving birth at Minnesota Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis so that Eloise can have open heart surgery within the first week of life.
Although uncommon, there is a high success rate and we hope and pray that all goes smoothly so that Eloise can have a normal, active life. We appreciate all the prayers and will continue to update everyone about Eloise’s journey.
