Miracle birth
Published: October 13, 2005
This is a story of hope for the thousands of young woman diagnosed with cancer; and it’s a story of a miracle: a miracle birth.
A Jacksonville woman now has what she calls “her miracle baby.” Jacob Evan Rutansky is the first baby born in the world to a woman who had her eggs removed prior to undergoing cancer treatment.
Jennifer Rutansky of Jacksonville always knew she wanted to be a mom. “I always knew it was a big part of me that would be a major role in my life; cancer or no cancer.”
At 26, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer similar to leukemia. When doctors wanted to start chemotherapy, she feared her dream of having kids of her own would be lost forever. But then, she found hope. “To me he was the doctor of hope.”
She went to see Doctor Kevin Winslow at the Florida Institute for Reproductive Medicine or (F.I.R.M.) at Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville. He is known around the world as a pioneer in cryopreservation.
Dr. Winslow says, “This therapy offers an option to women who very much want to have children later in life but may be faced with sterilizing treatments.”
Jennifer went ahead with the new therapy, even though doctors were still working on it, and it had not yet been successful.
Jennifer says, “I went ahead and we got 14 eggs at that time, we retrieved them and then I had chemo, feeling on top of the world knowing all I would have to do is fight that cancer and go find that man of my dreams and start heading towards being a mom.”
7-years later, she beat cancer, got married and was ready to start a family. Now the real test, would the cryo eggs work?
Dr. Winslow says, “It is a technology people are working on worldwide. It has been a technology that’s been very difficult in terms of fine tuning and getting the results that we want to make this a useful tool.”
Using a surrogate they miscarried twice, but then. “Miracles of miracles on our third try with no eggs left after that third implant we’re pregnant and our son is due in two weeks,” said Jennifer.
Jacob Evan decided to come early; nearly two weeks early. He is a healthy baby boy, born 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Jennifer says, “My whole life this is what I wanted. This is why I beat cancer. This is it, this is the reason.”
And that’s not all; Jacob has an older sister. Elizabeth is only five months old. Jennifer and her husband went through the adoption process not knowing if the cryopreservation would work. “Two little babies running around; can you think of anything better.”
She hopes this newest tiny little baby, the first in the world born to a cancer patient who saved her eggs, will bring hope and miracles to women everywhere facing cancer.
Dr. Winslow believes in ten years this technology will be common place for women facing cancer and wanting to have children of their own.
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