European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 27, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Surgery Ivernia led diaphragm and a urine air tract obstruction known 33 Hydro Nephrosis. The concilion Mitchell suffered. Hydra Nephrosis is he firs such anatomic defect Lobo successfully corrected by open surgery in a human fetus. When the urinary tract obstruction is partial Harrison said the Lelus May develop normally. But when the blockage is Complete the fetus cannot urinate. Fluid backs up and puts destructive pressure on its developing kidneys. Amniotic fluid which a actually Lelal surgeons operate on dockage of urinary tract urine is not produced. Without amniotic fluid Metal lungs do not develop. The enact prevalence of Hydro Nephrosis is not known since so Many fetuses die before birth. But Harrison esl metes that 1 in 2,000 May be affected. Mitchell s Parent agreed to Ell their Story to a reporter on a condition thai heir last name not be disclosed. Mitchell is however the baby s real first name Given in Honor of Golbus in san  asked Lor a Sonogram when i was Between live and six months pregnant Mitchell s Mother said. My grandmother is a twin and we wanted to to  her obstetrician had tragic news. The baby s bladder kidneys and the tubes connecting them were greatly enlarged. There was no pm Nikolic fluid and it was determined thai the baby s urethra was completely blocked. They told us to consider ending the pregnancy she said or to consuls some doctors in California who might be Able to operate. I already Felt him kicking. We knew by Hen that he was a boy. Our minds were made up to save his life if we could a special lost developed by the team in san Francisco indicated that the baby s kidneys were still healthy. Other tests indicated he had no other birth defects. But with the team s procedure Mitchell s Mother 32 years old would have to expose herself to considerable risks including two caesarean operations a drug Laken daily to prevent labor after the Metal surgery and he danger of uterine rupture in this and future pregnancies. Among the potentially valuable applications of fetal surgery out Lda the womb a expected lob the treatment of urinary tract blockage. Baby Mitchell top was me awfully treated for a blocked urethra. A similar procedure for obstructed ureter remove the ictus meat o the Way out of the womb so the Turgeon can make an incision in the Back and reopen the ureter which carry away urine from the kidney to the bladder. When the incision is made at he of instead of the Bol Tom the uterus As it sometimes has to be in his procedure said Harrison he risk of rupture increases. Without the operation Mitchell had Zero Chance Lor  said Mitchell s father. They asked us hundreds of times to think carefully about our  the Felat surgery was performed on july 22, 985. Mitchell s Mother was Given the anaesthesia Halothane ii is a Superb relaxant Harrison said because in puts the Mother he kid and the uterus to  an eight Inch incision was made across the Mother s belly a few inches higher Han a Normal caesarean using a special Staple like device that stops bleeding Asil cuts. The tiny baby s legs were pulled out while his upper Hall a ached to the Placenta was left inside his Mother. The umbilical Cord is not supposed to come into Contact Wilh the air Mithcell s Mother said or else in would be  Harrison Cut a Hole through the baby s Abdomen and bladder sewing the bladder directly to the baby s skin. He added Saline water o the uterus to provide some amniotic fluid placed the fetus Back inside and stitched up the uterus along with the amniotic Sac. The Lelus was outside his Mother Lor three minutes Mitchell s Mother look the drug Rilo Drine every Day to prevent labor. Nine weeks later. Mitchell was born in a second caesarean operation made through he same Cut. Although he was six weeks premature the baby weighed six pounds two ounces Mitchell needed ome assistance in breathing but within a few hours his father said he was the perfect picture  today Mitchell is a Many other 1 year Olds he Haa straight Brown hair Long dark lashes and is culling his first three Teeth his parents say he is developing normally. He can walk holding on to he Couch and he smiles All the  said his Mother we be decided he s an  Harrison finally opened Mitchell s urethra and closed the Hole in his Abdomen so that the baby now urinates normally. Mitchell s right kidney has very Little function said Harrison and the left kidney is about 50 percent efficient. The parents say they Lake Mitchell regularly to a paediatric kidney specialist. We Are watching closely and if he fails  his Mother said he May one Day need a kidney  controversy byway Teyoung United press International r Obert Marsik had one son and wanted his second Chim to be a  the Aid of an article clipped from Magazine he and his wife followed a few simple guidelines and nine months later their daughter was born. We gave the article to three other couples friends of cure and they Al tried it and had children of the gender they selected Marsik said in a Telephone interview from Hia Englewood colo., office. His procure industries Ltd. Has started marketing a controversial kit Lor parents who want to choose the gender of their future children. It costs $50 and comes in Hoo varieties boy or girl. The kit increases the chances up to approximately 85 percent Lor Conception of a male child and up to 80 percent for Conception of a female child he said. But whether a couple can favor one Type Over another has not been proven in scientific tests although anecdotal stories like Marsik s abound. These True life testimonies Are not enough Lor some researchers who say while gender selection will be possible in the future humans have yet to attain the ability to choose the sex of the offspring thai replace them. There s no scientific proof. Just personal stories that Jon l really count in use research said or. Frill Fuchs professor of obstetrics at Cornell University medical College. People have a so percent Chance of having the baby of their  he said ii they work at it Long enough they la get the gender they  Warsik said he believes the gender kit does not need food and drug administration approval because it does no contain drugs or solutions. However an Fra spokeswoman said the Agency s compliance division is still reviewing the status of procure s gender Choice. Spokeswoman Faye Peterson said if in is decided the kit needs Fra approval then Marsik May face punitive action for having already put gender Choice on the Market. Gander Choice has been criticized by the american College of obstetricians and gynaecologists there s no scientific information that says in works and there is not really anything in it anyway said spokeswoman Laurie Hail. The kit contain a thermometer charts and a Booklet explaining a decades old theory that sperm containing the female related chromosome Are Large lumbering and persistent while those Wilh the male chromosome Are Small fast and Short lived. Extensive Laboratory studies have shown that sperm containing male and female chromosomes do differ in size Speed and lifespan scientists said in Telephone interviews with proper Liming and the Correct position during sax he kit says parents can increase the chances either the Stow and steady female sperm or the live fast and die Young male sperm will hit the target. We can t offer guarantees but we be gone to great pains to got the information As accurate As possible Marsik said. Or. Landrum Shettl a former Columbia University researcher whose Pioneer studies Are the basis of Marsik s kit. Bristles at fuchs1 criticism. There is a difference in male and female sperm and How they behave Shell Les said Tho More difficult you make it the More Likely you la have a girl. That s Why. Accidents caused when women use contraceptive foam almost always turn out to be Little  she ties said a recent study of 6,000 couples in Japan showed that the majority successfully chose  of their baby using the techniques he identified. Meanwhile researchers Are searching to per decl a Way to predetermine a baby s gender scientists have successfully used weight to separate mate sperm and heavier female sperm. Fuchs said. Even More recently scientists have been Able i douse sperm samples in Sofu Llona of antibodies that. Attach to male sperm making them easier to identify and separate. I Fuchs said Sorne people use Annio cantes to select the cows gender after Conception but before in fran in removed and tested. There have been people who a ap1rjto Ca a Fps the gender of their Grid t a said. Off Ifa Natl they were hoping for then Tow pregnancy t we be eve Chat b unethical taut in o almost impossible to Slop Fuchs said. The stars and stripes Page 1.5 ,. Re or