Family shares benefits of fetal surgery for their daughter

[KTTC-TV, October 25, 2023] Maggie Puls was 20 weeks pregnant when an ultrasound showed her baby’s back bone was not developing properly, and it was impacting the baby’s skull. Five weeks later, Maggie and her husband traveled nearly 200 miles from Iowa to the Twin Cities to undergo fetal surgery at Midwest Fetal Care Center, a collaboration between Allina Health and Children’s Minnesota. The doctor operated on the baby while she was still in Maggie’s uterus.

“I was pretty darn nervous,” said Maggie. “First surgery ever, and then it’s a surgery that you’re working on your unborn child.”

The surgery was a success. Lillian, Maggie’s daughter, is now 14-months old. Watch Lillian’s beautiful story in KTTC-TV’s Kids with Courage segment. Also, learn more about Allina Health’s Mother Baby Center.