Chapter 864

On Monday, the atmosphere was tense and bustling, with everyone moving as if their feet were powered by jet wheels. The start of the week brought a whirlwind of responsibilities. As the head of obstetrics and gynecology, Lena had to lead the entire team of doctors on their rounds. This wasn’t new for her, but today, she had an extra companion—Nate. He was here for a research collaboration, aiming to promote his scientific project. To fully grasp its application, he needed a deep understanding of maternal and fetal conditions.

His presence didn’t faze Lena, though. While she was playful and lively in her personal life—sometimes resembling a child—she transformed completely in her white coat. Her professionalism, warmth, and exceptional medical expertise were nothing short of godlike. “Dr. Lane, we admitted a pregnant woman yesterday with fetal tetralogy of Fallot at 24 weeks of gestation. She also has pregnancy-induced hypertension,” the on-call doctor reported.

Lena reached out her hand, and her assistant passed her the patient’s file. As she flipped through the records, she asked, “Does the family know about this? What’s their reaction?”

“They’re very anxious and worried. The mother has been crying nonstop since learning about it. The family is scared the baby might have complications, but this baby was conceived through IVF, which makes it even harder for them to let go.”

The situation was indeed complicated. Unlike a natural conception, IVF pregnancies often involved parents with fertility challenges, and the success rate of the procedure was low. Conceiving through IVF was akin to nurturing a precious panda cub.

After reviewing the file, Lena handed it to Nate. “Take a look at the fetal echocardiogram.”

Nate scanned the data. “Based on these numbers, it doesn’t appear to be too severe. We can likely correct the issue with AI-assisted minimally invasive surgery on the fetus in utero.”

“This isn’t a typical case,” Lena reminded him. “There’s no room for error.”

“I understand,” Nate replied, his gaze steady as it met hers. “I’m confident we can handle this. For now, we need to focus on communicating with the family and the patient.” Communication. Such a simple word, but the reality was far more challenging.

“Let’s finish the rounds first,” Lena said, leading the team into the patient’s room.

The moment they entered, the pregnant woman sat up anxiously. “Doctor, is my baby going to be okay? I looked it up online, and this condition… it’s…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence before tears streamed down her face. Her husband quickly stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her to comfort her. “Don’t worry. Let’s hear what the doctors have to say. They’ll have a solution.”

“There is a solution,” Lena said, her tone calm and reassuring. She gestured toward Nate. “This is Professor Neumann, an internationally renowned cardiology expert. He has experience researching and performing surgeries on complex heart conditions, with multiple award-winning achievements. Recently, he developed a groundbreaking technique for correcting fetal heart defects during pregnancy, which is precisely suited to your case.”

Her introduction was thorough and professional, instantly establishing Nate as someone trustworthy.

After hearing this, the patient and her family looked at Nate with a newfound sense of hope. “Professor Neumann, please help us. This baby is everything to us.”

Nate nodded. “I’ve reviewed the test results. The condition isn’t severe. While this type of defect can be corrected after birth, performing the surgery during the fetal development stage allows the heart to grow normally within the womb. This ensures the baby will be born completely healthy.”

The patient and her husband clasped their hands together, tears of relief in their eyes. “We’ll do it! We’re willing to go ahead!”

Their swift decision didn’t surprise Lena. She knew they were unaware of the potential risks. This in-utero cardiac correction procedure was still in its early stages of clinical application, with higher risks compared to conventional heart surgeries. However, Lena refrained from mentioning the risks just yet. She and Nate needed to have a detailed discussion with the family first. For now, seeing their hope shine amidst despair, she didn’t have the heart to extinguish it.

Noticing the patient’s persistently high blood pressure caused by stress, Lena leaned forward slightly, speaking in a soothing tone. “For now, try to relax. Keeping your blood pressure stable is essential for the baby to undergo the surgery.”

“Okay,” the patient said quickly, nodding through tears, her relief shining in her eyes.