After medical tests, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a serious blood-pressure condition. The zoo realized the lives of both the mom and baby were in danger, and decided an emergency c-section.
C-sections, in which the baby is delivered through an incision in the mother’s abdomen, are fairly common in human births but rarely performed on gorillas. But given our reproductive biological similarities, the procedure is much the same.
The zoo consulted with Dr. Jamie Walker Erwin, a local obstetrician and gynecologist, who assembled a team of experts for the surgery.
The c-section was a success, but because Jameela was born 4-6 weeks premature they had to act fast to save her life, providing resuscitation, stabilization and respiratory support.
