At just 16 weeks of pregnancy, a routine ultrasound revealed something no parent expects to hear: a rapidly growing mᴀss on the left side of baby Layla’s neck.

Over the following weeks, the tumor grew dramatically, eventually reaching about 17 centimeters—larger than Layla’s head—and weighing nearly two pounds. Doctors feared it could block her airway when she was born, creating a life-threatening emergency within moments of delivery.

🏥 The mᴀss was later diagnosed as a benign teratoma, but its size and location made Layla’s birth exceptionally high-risk. A traditional delivery could have left her unable to breathe independently, potentially depriving her brain of oxygen.

💙 To give Layla the safest possible beginning, specialists at the UW Health Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center in Madison, Wisconsin, carefully planned a rare procedure known as EXIT, or ex-utero intrapartum treatment.

During the procedure, performed at around 32–33 weeks of pregnancy, doctors carefully delivered Layla’s head, neck, one arm, and the enormous tumor while she remained connected to her mother through the umbilical cord and placenta.

🌸 That connection was crucial. The placenta continued supplying Layla with oxygen while the medical team worked to establish a secure airway. In an incredible race against time, doctors successfully placed a breathing tube in just 12 minutes before completing her delivery.

Four days later, surgeons removed the tumor completely.

🍼 Because Layla was born prematurely and needed time to recover from the major surgery, she spent approximately two and a half months in the neonatal intensive care unit. Slowly but surely, she grew stronger.

✨ Today, Layla is a healthy, thriving baby with only minimal scarring—a remarkable outcome after such a frightening beginning.

Her parents, Ashley and Andy Manderle of Waupun, Wisconsin, have expressed their graтιтude for the specialized team whose careful planning and expertise gave their daughter a chance to breathe safely from the moment she entered the world.

💗 Layla’s story is a powerful reminder of what modern prenatal medicine can make possible. Through early diagnosis, extraordinary teamwork, and a carefully coordinated surgical plan, doctors were able to turn an extremely dangerous situation into a story of hope and survival.