This not a script from a blockbuster movie. It happened fiili-fiili as the Ghanaian parlance goes. The story goes on to prove the power of God and the significance of science.
That is only plausible explanation to give to this story where a brain dead pregnant woman lives for 123 extra days post her death only to give birth to healthy twins.
It happened to a 21-year old woman called Frankielen da Silva Zampoli Padilha in Brazil. She unfortunately died of stroke after suffering from cerebral haemorrhage.
But the doctors at Nosso Senhora do Rocio hospital noticed something strange after Frankielen was confirmed brain dead. Her nine weeks old twins were still breathing inside her womb.
“We did not expect the babies to survive for long after their mom was gone. But ultrasound confirmed their hearts were beating. It was a surprise,” says Dr Dalton Rivabem, head of neurological ICU at the health facility. Another intriguing fact is that Frankielen’s organs were still intact and functioning as if she was still alive. The doctors subsequently decided to keep her alive for the sake of the babies.
This happened when the doctors had earlier informed the husband of the woman to prepare for burial of hsi wife and the unborn twins.
Some 123 days later, Frankielen’s babies were born via the C-section, to the bewilderment of everyone who never saw it coming. “We have heard cases of brain dead mothers being kept alive long enough to give birth, but ours is the longest ever recorded,” says Dr Rivabem, who adds that it took a teamwork and a miracle to make it happen. Padilha called it a miracle. Everyone at the hospital reportedly wept when the babies were born.
The babies were still premature at the time of birth, so they were placed in incubators. This is truly an emotional story and we sympathize with the husband of Frankielen.
