Unexpected baby joy for transplant patient

Aug 7 2005

Twenty six year old Tracy Paterson, from Carlisle, was given a liver transplant as a teenager after being diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease.

At the time she was told she would never have children, but has surprised everyone by giving birth to a baby girl.

She discovered she was pregnant only after a routine test whilst in hospital prior to a minor operation.

Her baby daughter, Rianna, was born by caesarean section at the Cumberland Royal Infirmary last month.

In 1993, Ms Paterson was only 14 when she was diagnosed with a rare disease which causes the immune system to attack the body's internal organs when she slipped into a coma for two days.

Her family were told by medical experts she had only 24 hours to live if a liver donor could not be found.

One was found, and she recovered, but was repeatedly warned that her weakened body could not survive childbirth.

Ms Paterson had previously had negative results from two home pregnancy tests but believes these were due to the nine tablets she must take every day as treatment for her condition, so the positive result came as a complete surprise.

At first she says she didn't believe them, but a scan showed the baby on the screen.

Ms Paterson was overjoyed and says she and fiance Sean Unsworth plan to marry later this year.

Despite concerns throughout the pregnancy and doctors saying it could be dangerous for both her and for the baby, nothing did go wrong.

She and her partner are overjoyed at the birth of their baby daughter.