A High-Risk Pregnancy Turns Critical

Andrea Limas had already faced challenges on her journey to motherhood.

Her first pregnancy was complicated by a ventricular septal defect and preeclampsia—serious conditions that could have ended differently. But she delivered a healthy baby boy, holding onto hope for the future.

Years later, that hope was tested again.

During her next pregnancy, Andrea was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder known to affect fetal heart development. Early scans revealed devastating news:

Her unborn daughter had developed complete heart block.

Her heart rate had dropped dangerously low—just 30 to 40 beats per minute.

For a developing baby, it was a life-threatening condition.

A Rapid Decline Before Birth

By 24 weeks, the situation had worsened.

Doctors detected signs of heart failure in the womb.

Time was running out.

Andrea was urgently transferred to a specialized medical center, where a pediatric cardiac team confirmed the severity of the condition and began preparing for emergency intervention.

There was no safe way forward without risk.

But there was one chance.

A Premature Birth to Save a Life

On March 6, 2025, at just 27 weeks of pregnancy, Andrea made an unimaginable decision:

Deliver her baby early to give her a chance at survival.

Her daughter, Rebeca Andrea Zaldaña Limas, was born weighing only two pounds.

Tiny. Fragile. And already fighting for her life.

A Heart That Needed Immediate Support

Within hours of birth, Rebeca underwent emergency surgery.

Doctors implanted an external pacemaker—a temporary device designed to regulate her dangerously slow heartbeat.

Without it, her organs would have failed.

The procedure was high-risk.

But it worked.

For the first time, her heart had a chance to keep up with life.

Life Inside the NICU: A Constant Fight

The early weeks were critical.

Rebeca required:

• Intubation to support breathing
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
• Around-the-clock monitoring

Each day brought a fragile balance between progress and setback.

There were moments when her condition looked stable.

And moments when everything felt like it could slip away again.

A Mother’s Faith That Never Wavered

Through it all, Andrea remained at her daughter’s side.

She pushed forward with unwavering determination, urging doctors to do everything possible.

Where medicine reached its limits, her faith filled the gaps.

She believed her daughter would survive—even when the odds said otherwise.

And that belief became part of Rebeca’s fight.

A Groundbreaking Procedure Few Thought Possible

As Rebeca grew slightly stronger, doctors prepared for a bold next step:

Implanting a Micra internal pacemaker—a device typically used in adults.

For a premature infant, the procedure was nearly unprecedented.

But it offered something no other option could:

A more stable, long-term solution for her heart rhythm.

At around 30 weeks, Rebeca underwent the surgery.

It was a success.

The First Moment That Made It Real

Just two days after the procedure, something happened that changed everything.

Andrea held her daughter for the first time.

After weeks of watching from behind monitors and wires, she finally felt her baby in her arms.

It was a moment filled with relief, gratitude, and disbelief.

Rebeca had made it through.

Small Victories That Meant Everything

From that point on, progress came in small but powerful steps:

• Gradually breathing with less support
• Gaining weight
• Stabilizing heart rhythm
• Responding to touch and sound

Each milestone was a victory.

Each day was proof that she was still fighting—and winning.

130 Days Later: Going Home

After 130 days in the NICU, the moment her family had been waiting for finally arrived.

Rebeca was strong enough to go home.

She left behind the machines, alarms, and hospital walls that had defined her early life.

And for the first time, she entered the world not as a critical patient—

but as a child with a future.

Life Beyond Survival

Today, Rebeca is thriving.

Her heart beats steadily with the support of her pacemaker.

She continues to grow, develop, and bring joy to her family.

At home, she was reunited with her older brother—a moment that symbolized not just survival, but wholeness.

A Story Bigger Than Medicine

Rebeca’s journey represents more than a medical success.

It is the intersection of:

• Advanced pediatric cardiac care
• Rapid, life-saving intervention
• A mother’s unwavering faith
• And a baby’s extraordinary resilience

Her survival pushed the boundaries of what modern medicine can achieve in the smallest patients.

A Message of Hope for Families Everywhere

For parents facing similar diagnoses, Rebeca’s story offers something powerful:

Even in the most fragile beginnings, there is still possibility.

Hope may not come easily.

But it can grow—through courage, persistence, and belief.

Every Heartbeat, A Miracle

Rebeca Andrea Zaldaña Limas began life with a heart that could not beat on its own.

Today, every heartbeat she carries tells a different story.

A story of survival.
Of innovation.
Of love that refused to let go.

Because sometimes, the smallest hearts fight the biggest battles—

and win.