Born Without Kidneys, Miracle Baby of U.S. Congresswoman Defies Doctors' Death Diagnosis
A baby without a kidney defied the odds when she survived in her mother's womb and even up to two years after she was born.
That baby is now a healthy three-year-old girl, Abigail Beutler, the daughter of a U.S..congresswoman, Jaime Herrera Beutler, who never gave up on her even when her doctors told her that the baby she was carrying had zero chance of survival.
Abigail is the first known person to survive without kidneys inside and then later outside the womb of a mother, a condition known as Potter's Syndrome, the Blaze reported.
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How did the miracle happen?
Herrera Beutler recently sat with CNN and recalled the most unforgettable thing that happened to her life.
She said Abigail's story began early in 2013 when her doctor delivered the shocking news: The baby she was carrying had no kidneys and would die in her womb.
The doctor told the lawmaker she would likely miscarry and advised her to abort the baby.
But she and her husband Dan refused, and it's not just because Herrera Beutler is a pro-life Republican lawmaker.
The couple shared the devastating news on Facebook and asked for prayers.
Then the miracle happened.
Someone who read the couple's story in a newspaper contacted Herrera Beutler and advised her to try an experimental treatment involving a saline injection that would mimic the kidneys' function, keeping her baby alive.
The Beutler couple sprang into action. They contacted various hospitals about the experimental treatment, but no one wanted to do it. Finally, they were able to convince Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to do it.
The treatment was a success, and Abigail was born in July 2013, LifeNews reported.
For the first two years of her life, Abigail survived without kidneys through the use of dialysis machines. In February last year, she received a kidney—from her father.
Herrera Beutler said her daughter's miraculous survival is inspiring other couples with unborn babies having conditions similar to Abigail's. They are now learning that there are treatments available that could save their lives, she said.
"She's just the first. There are other babies who have survived because of her," the congresswoman told CNN. "One just got her transplant last week, another, two weeks ago. ... Now, when I Google this horrible diagnosis, we know that there's hope."
The Beutlers have grown into a family of four with the birth of Ethan last year, the Blaze reported.
