Baby Born Twice: LynLee Boemer Makes Miraculous Recovery After Lifesaving Operation

LynLee Boemer is the miraculous “baby born twice” that was first taken from her mother’s womb at 23 weeks for a life-saving surgery, then born a second time at 36 weeks at a much healthier weight. Despite the novel and risky nature of the procedure that saved her life, LynLee is now doing fine, having made a successful recovery following her difficult birth.

For Plano, Texas, mother Margaret Boemer, it all started when she underwent a routine ultrasound at the 16th week of her pregnancy. According to CNN, it was at that time when it was discovered her unborn baby had a sizable tumor growing from her coccyx, or tailbone.

“They saw something on the scan, and the doctor came in and told us that there was something seriously wrong with our baby and that she had a sacrococcygeal teratoma,” said Margaret Boemer in quotes sourced by CNN from the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. “And it was very shocking and scary, because we didn’t know what that long word meant or what diagnosis that would bring.”

Texas baby born twice: Removed from womb for surgery then placed back in until birth https://t.co/adtStHgogx pic.twitter.com/rvsjWxVKxE

— People (@people) October 21, 2016

What was quite scary for Margaret was the size of the tumor discovered during the ultrasound. Speaking to PEOPLE, the mother-of-three said that doctors had “never seen (a tumor) so huge” when assessing the yet-unborn child.

According to Texas Children’s Fetal Center co-director Dr. Darrell Cass, sacrococcygeal teratomas are the most common tumors found in newborn children. More common in baby girls than boys, the tumor is nonetheless “still pretty rare,” occurring in approximately one out of every 35,000 births.

“Some of these tumors can be very well-tolerated, so the fetus has it and can get born with it and we can take it out after the baby’s born. But about half of the time, they cause problems for the fetus and it’s usually causing problems because of a blood flow problem.”

When Margaret Boemer reached her 23rd week of pregnancy, she was informed that baby LynLee was at risk of heart failure. Considering risks such as a ruptured uterus and blood clots, she agreed to undergo the unusual surgical procedure, where doctors would remove LynLee from her womb, then place her back after performing surgery to remove the tumor. In other words, LynLee Boemer was to become a baby born twice.

Fortunately, Dr. Cass had previous experience successfully performing such a surgery, as he expertly co-led the operation together with fellow pediatric surgeon Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye. It was a risky, intricate procedure, and at the time it took place, the tumor weighed almost as much as LynLee did; PEOPLE says the baby weighed only one pound and three ounces when she was operated on.

“It was a little bit of panic and nervousness, but I knew it was what had to be done to give her life,” Margaret told PEOPLE.

The surgery went through successfully and LynLee Boemer was then placed back into her mother’s womb, where she stayed for the next 12 weeks. She was born a “second time” on June 6, on the 36th week and fifth day of Margaret’s pregnancy, weighing five pounds and five ounces. At 8 days old, LynLee went through another surgery to remove what was left of the tumor. She then stayed another 24 days in the neonatal intensive care unit as she continued to recover.

Weeks after returning from the hospital, all accounts point to LynLee Boemer, the miraculous baby born twice, making a speedy recovery and doing quite well at home. Margaret says that she’s been growing and “eating a ton,” and happily coexisting with her older sisters. And as she was quoted in the CNN report, the surgery, complicated as it was, was “worth every pain.”

[Featured Image by alice-photo/iStock]