Vic triplets saved in Christmas miracle
FIRST ON 7: A Melbourne family has been delivered an early Christmas gift with doctors performing delicate laser surgery in a Victorian first to save the lives of unborn triplets.
The Donnelly family has doubled with the arrival of Frankie, Georgina and Isobel, sisters for 11-month-old Archie.
Today's first cuddle at the Mercy Hospital with the triplets was overwhelming for mum Pip, who feared she may never get the chance.
"It's been such a long road to get here," she told Seven News reporter Karen O'Sullivan .
At 17 weeks, doctors discovered that Frankie was sharing her blood with Georgina and Isobel, putting the lives of all three babies in danger.
Medically dubbed Feto-Fetal Transfusion Syndrome, the condition results in twins sharing vascular connections within the placenta.
It is rare and affects only one in half-a-million.
"It got to the point where all three babies were looking very unwell, Dr Alison Fung said.
"We were in a position where we had to make a decision about treatment or no treatment."
Pip and husband Brian decided they had to give all three girls the best chance possible, despite the dangers involved.
"We've been blessed with a miracle here, we thought we'll try it," Brian said.
Intrauterine surgery was carried out at the Monash Medical Centre to save the babies - the first time the operation was ever attempted in Victoria.
In a high-risk operation, a fetoscope was inserted into Pip 's womb and a laser beam then directed to close off the blood flow between the triplets.
Without surgery, there was a danger none of the babies would survive, but they have beaten the odds in what is being described as a Christmas miracle.
At three months, all three are thriving and are expected to go home early next year.
"It's like winning the Lotto three times over," said Brian.
The baby's surgery has made history for Victoria's fetal therapy service, which usually operates on twins with the same dangerous blood sharing syndrome.
"We haven't ever performed fetal surgery on triplets like this before. It's a really amazing and a huge success for the team," Dr Fung said.
The Donnelly's say with their identical triplet girls, they are now a perfect family.
"Christmas has come early for us," said Brian.
