Gideon Yobo, the kid brother of Nigerian ex-international, Joseph Yobo and his wife, Blessing, who got married on June 27 last year in Liverpool, England, have welcomed their first child – a baby boy. The couple have christened the bundle of joy Caleb G.I.D Williamson Yobo.
23-year-old Blessing had been diagnosed with lupus, an incurable illness affecting the immune system, before getting pregnant. Lupus is an autoimmune disease which causes a person’s body’s immune system to attack its own tissues and organs.
She was advised not to get pregnant. And when she got pregnant, doctors in the UK where she resides with her husband, told her that her pregnancy will not go beyond 14 weeks. They were advised to terminate the pregnancy at the 10th week
‘The doctors suggested we should think of stopping the pregnancy, but we both decided beforehand that whatever happens, whatever the risks, we would carry on. We just knew it wouldn’t end up in disaster and put our trust in God. Everyone was shocked when she got to 20 weeks, and then we just carried on,‘ Yobo told UK news publication Telegraph & Argus .
Due to the high risks involved, doctors at BRI monitored Blessing Yobo very closely throughout her pregnancy, and she was successfully induced at 37 weeks.
‘When Caleb was born, everything was just perfect. They did tests on him, some of them three or four times, and the doctors couldn’t believe he had come out fine. Some people would have given up, but we were determined not to. We held on to our faith and beliefs and followed our gut instinct. She is doing fine, and Caleb is just fantastic. We registered him the other day and the medical records are flawless, everything is ok. I always knew he would be a miracle baby, and that’s what the doctors said he was. They said they couldn’t believe our determination and belief, but Caleb just shows that miracles do happen,’ Yobo said.
Experts advise that potential mothers have their lupus under control for at least six months before trying to become pregnant. Essex based charity, Lupus UK said that a study had shown that women who have active lupus within three months of getting pregnant, as in the case of the Yobo’s, were four times more likely to lose their babies. Other complications can include a three-fold increase in babies being born prematurely, around 35 per cent of pregnancies suffering pre-eclampsia, and a higher risk of poor growth of babies resulting in stillbirth.
Paul Howard, a projects manager at the Lupus UK says: ‘The risks for complications during the pregnancy, such as a miscarriage, are real. If the lupus is active, there is an increased chance of a flare-up during pregnancy, which can lead to foetal loss and the mother risking her own health. We would advise people not to get pregnant until their lupus is under control. Lupus is a very varied condition, and the fact that there is a better understanding now of the risks during pregnancy is increasing the likelihood of cases such as this one having a happy ending. But, it certainly sounds like this couple have been extremely lucky. We wouldn’t advise high-risk pregnancies with active lupus, as having a healthy mum and baby is definitely against the odds, especially for someone with kidney problems. But stories like this do happen, and they are wonderful to hear.’
by hotdropz
