Tax Appeal 2021 – Khyati and baby Veer
Just weeks into her first pregnancy, 34-year-old Khyati learned that her twin sister had a congenital heart disorder, which meant that she too might have the same condition. A series of tests confirmed the heartbreaking news: Khyati also had a condition called heart block, which disrupts the usual rhythm of the heart. This meant that Khyati experienced fainting spells as her heart rate dropped to extremely dangerous low levels.
Khyati’s heart condition put her and her unborn baby’s life at risk, so she was admitted to Austin Hospital and placed under the care of Mercy Perinatal’s team of clinicians, led by Professor Sue Walker AO, co-director of Mercy Perinatal.
“The doctors said they had never seen such a dangerously low heart rate in patients with this condition before,” Khyati said.
Throughout her pregnancy, Khyati remained in heart block with a low heart rate which dropped as low as 20 beats per minute by the time of birth. Specialists at Mercy Perinatal and Austin Hospital worked together to support Khyati and her baby with regular tests, medications and observations.
“It was a very stressful time. But the Mercy Perinatal team of specialists and my heart doctors were incredible. We knew we were in the best possible hands,” Khyati said.
As Khyati’s pregnancy progressed, her care plan changed weekly, then daily.
Khyati’s baby’s growth was slowing down. This was likely due to the placenta getting less blood flow than it should, which in turn, impacted oxygen and nutrition delivery to the baby. So it was decided that the safest thing to do would be to deliver the baby via caesarean section.
In May 2021, Khyati safely delivered her baby.
“I cannot thank Sue and the entire team of 25 specialists enough for helping us bring our baby boy into this world. Because of their care, I overcame every obstacle,” Khyati said. “After such a difficult start, we’ve named our baby Veer, which means brave.”
Since its establishment in 2014, Mercy Perinatal has become an international perinatal center of excellence, uniting the three pillars of education, clinical care and research. At the heart of Mercy Perinatal is a commitment to bringing mothers and babies safely home, and the recognition that safe pregnancy, childbirth and the best possible start to life are in everyone’s hands.
This is why your support is so important. Your gift is crucial to help Mercy Perinatal realise the dream of safe motherhood for all women through exceptional clinical care, research projects and training programs that can treat some of these devastating pregnancy complications and reduce the risk of stillbirth.
Whether you are a mother, son, daughter, partner, grandparent or a friend, you can share the love that Mercy Perinatal works to create every day: the special bond between a mother and a child.
Please help us bring more babies like Veer safely home.
Learn more about the cause
Mother’s Day Tax Appeal 2021
Whether you are a mother, son, daughter, partner, grandparent or a friend, you can share the love that Mercy Perinatal works to create every day: the special bond between a mother and a child.