A set of twins were born to an Abu Dhabi resident after it seemed she would lose them both 16 weeks into her pregnancy.
Less than half way into her pregnancy, Mareen Thomas, 29, began experiencing intense lower body cramps, nausea and bleeding.
Tests showed that one of the babies had dropped from her womb into her pelvis region, a position babies get into just before birth.
“If not corrected immediately, as is often the case due the prevalence of complications with such cases, the baby would not have survived and could have resulted in losing both babies due to severe trauma on the body,” said Dr Fady Hachem, a consultant at the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Burjeel Hospital.
After discussing the high-risk conditions with Mrs Thomas and her family, Dr Hachem performed a cervical cerclage. The procedure involves stitching a strong band of thread around the cervix which is tightened to close the cervix and stop a premature baby from slipping further. The band is generally removed at the 37th week of pregnancy.
______________
Read more:
'It's a miracle': Abu Dhabi hospital staff who delivered 400g baby overjoyed as she prepares to return home
UAE Helping Hands: new mum left with Dh373,000 hospital bill after baby is born 15 weeks early
Mothers of premature babies in UAE help families cope
______________
Typically, the procedure is safe when performed 12-14 weeks into pregnancy, but Mrs Thomas was already 16 weeks along at the time.
“The fact that Mrs Thomas’ pregnancy was beyond the safe weeks and there were two babies in her womb made this case highly sensitive and high risk, if not handled with extreme care – not one, not two, but all three are at risk,” said Dr Hachem.
During surgery, Dr Hachem had to carefully guide the highly sensitive amniotic sac back into a safe position and stitch the cervix.
Three months later, Ms Thomas delivered her twins – a boy and a girl, weighing 1.1kg and 990g respectively.
The babies were born 11 weeks early and had to be kept in neonatal ICU for 40 days before being discharged.
“The babies are getting stronger and healthier each day. Ms Thomas is better and is now a proud mother of twins,” said Dr Hachem.
“When doctors from other hospitals turned down my case, we started losing hope in saving my babies, but Dr Hachem took the risk and performed the surgery,” said Ms Thomas.
“My husband and I will be forever grateful to him and his medical team, for saving the lives of our little angels, there are no words to express our heartfelt joy as a family.”
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
