Doctors credit advanced technology for saving pregnant mom

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    New Britain, Connecticut (WFSB) — Pregnancy is a joyous time, but it can also be filled with a lot of worry.

Imagine having a serious heart condition get worse while you are pregnant to the point doctors needed to do surgery.

It happened to a mom in New Britain, but thanks to the advanced technology at the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center, mom is alive to tell a pretty amazing story to her baby who is on the way.

Semeda Amegashi, 33, was used to having heart palpitations, but one night she had her scariest episode ever.

“Normally it would last 3-8 minutes and then back to normal then 12-6:30 in the morning,” she explained.

Newly pregnant with baby number two, Amegashi was terrified.

Dr. Christopher Pickett, the co-director of the Heart Rhythm Program at the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center knew pregnancy was making Amegashi heart condition worse.

“I first meet Semeda a year ago because of symptoms of heart palpitations,” Pickett said.

Amegashi EKG revealed she had a dangerous condition that she was actually born with.

“A condition called Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome. She had an extra wire in essence, and every now in then she’d get haywire a bit,” Pickett said.

Her heart would beat over 200 beats per minute, which can be life threatening.

Pregnancy increases a woman’s blood volume by 40 percent. That coupled with changing hormones meant Semeda’s life and her baby’s were both at risk.

Dr. Pickett recommended surgery right away.

All of the technology boiled down to a miracle.

“We were able to do procedure safely and effectively almost impossible a few years ago,” Pickett said.

“I am grateful to God and Dr. Pickett and his team that I am here today,” Amegashi said.

She said she wants other people suffering from heart palpitations to get help right away.

Amegashi is excited to welcome her new baby boy to the family in May, and she is resting a lot easier before those sleepless newborn nights arrive.

“That relief it’s something I just can’t describe. You have that peace of mind,” Amegashi said.

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