Health

Baby born with heart outside body

By Michelle Castillo

January 25, 2013 / 9:44 AM EST / CBS News

Audrina was born with ectopia cordis, a congenital heart defect that caused her heart to develop outside her body, reports CBS affiliate KHOU in Houston. The rare condition only occurs in eight out of 1 million pregnancies, and 90 percent of the children are stillborn or die within three days of birth. Audrina, who was born Oct. 16, 2012 has beat the odds and was able to go home with her mother on January 23, 2013.

At 16 weeks, Ashley Cardenas was told her daughter had the congenital heart defect and was given three options: abortion, letting her child die naturally after birth or a risky surgical procedure. She chose the latter and believes she made the right decision, she told CBS affiliate KHOU in Houston, Texas. "As you can tell, that little girl is here and (it was) the best choice ever!" she said.

Doctors at Texas Children's Hospital performed open heart surgery on Audrina on Oct. 16, 2012 just minutes after she was born. They had to make space in her chest cavity to fit her heart. About one-third of the organ was outside her body at birth.

Mother Ashley Cardenas touches her daughter Audrina for the first time after the risky heart procedure.

Audrina Cardenas smiles at her mom Ashley. Audrina was given the go ahead to go home on Jan. 23 2013.

Audrina will have to wear a specially-made pink heart protector for a while to protect the organ, which can still be seen beating under her fragile skin.

Ashley Cardenas fixes baby Audrina's heart shield.

In a few years when Audrina is older, doctors will perform reconstructive surgery and use one of her rib bones to create a sternum and give her chest area more support.

Ashley Cardenas talks with Audrina's doctor from the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Ashley Cardenas and her daughter Audrina share a special moment.

Mother Ashley Cardenas holds baby Audrina and poses with some of her medical team from the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas.

"I'm very excited, very anxious, nervous all at once that we're able to go home," Ashley Cardenas told KHOU. "But it's a very, very big step. It's been a blessing to say that we're finally going home after three and a half months."

For the time being, Audrina will live with her mother in the Houston area while doctors monitor her progress. The mother and baby hope to soon be reunited with the rest of their family in Midland, Texas.

Michelle Castillo

Michelle Castillo is an associate editor for CBSNews.com.

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