In a remarkable feat of public healthcare, Government Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangaluru successfully carried out a high-risk caesarean surgery on a pregnant woman suffering from a rare, life-threatening bleeding disorder—Von Willebrand Disease (VWD), a form of Hemophilia. The woman and her newborn were both saved in what was deemed a near-impossible medical challenge.

Diagnosed at birth, the woman had been on lifelong treatment at private hospitals. However, during pregnancy, VWD poses severe threats due to internal bleeding risks stemming from a deficiency of Factor VIII, an essential clotting protein. Treatment requires sustained administration of synthetic Factor VIII—an expensive and rare plasma-derived injection.

When private hospitals quoted unaffordable costs for pregnancy care, the family turned to Dr Sharath of Wenlock Blood Bank. Recognising the gravity of her condition, Lady Goschen Hospital stepped in, led by superintendent Dr Durgaprasad MR, in coordination with Wenlock Blood Bank and the state health department.

The government ensured weekly free administration of the costly injections (totaling 25,000 units, worth lakhs of rupees), while the woman received regular check-ups. Twenty days before her due date, she was admitted for close monitoring. A planned C-section was executed with precision by a joint team from KMC and Lady Goschen, including obstetricians Dr Anupama Rao, Dr Siriganesh, Dr Namita, and anesthetists Dr Sumesh Rao and Dr Ranjan.

Post-surgery, both mother and baby recovered well. Overwhelmed with emotion, the woman expressed heartfelt gratitude to the hospital and state system that gave her a second chance at life.