Historic in utero surgery performed for first time by Israeli doctors in Petah Tikva

The operation was led by Dr. Yuval Gielchinsky, Director of the Fetal Medicine Center at Clalit-Beilinson, alongside Dr. Kinneret Tenenbaum, Head of the Twin Pregnancy Clinic.

A pregnant woman is seen alongside the Israeli flag in this illustrative image.

(photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

ByASHER SMITH

JUNE 12, 2026 08:48

Doctors at Beilinson Hospital under Clalit Health Services have completed Israel's first-ever intrauterine procedure to extract a rare placental tumor endangering an unborn infant, Clalit announced.

The mother, 25 weeks into her pregnancy, arrived urgently at the Petah Tikva center after a standard anatomy scan detected a growth on the placenta surface.

Further ultrasound checks confirmed the tumor was interfering with blood flow between mother and fetus. These changes had already caused fetal heart failure, creating an immediate life-threatening situation for the baby.

Since the pregnancy remained at an early stage, early delivery would have posed major developmental risks.

The team therefore selected an emergency in utero approach.

The operation was led by Dr. Yuval Gielchinsky, Director of the Fetal Medicine Center at Clalit-Beilinson, alongside Dr. Kinneret Tenenbaum, Head of the Twin Pregnancy Clinic.

"In later stages of pregnancy, delivery can sometimes resolve the issue," Dr. Gielchinsky noted. "Yet here the patient was only 25 weeks along. The sole remaining choice was an endoscopic fetal intervention, feasible only when the tumor sits in an accessible placental location, as occurred in this instance."

A minimally invasive procedure

During the minimally invasive surgery, the team entered the uterus, located the exact vessels feeding the tumor, and applied advanced cauterization to close them, cutting off the tumor's blood supply.

Placental tumors remain uncommon, according to specialists at the National Library of Medicine. Although many stay benign and grow too slowly to affect a typical pregnancy, serious instances can divert blood from the fetus. This may produce major issues such as fetal anemia, reduced platelet levels, excess amniotic fluid, and maternal preeclampsia, per an NLM study.

After the landmark procedure, the mother received close monitoring in Beilinson's maternal-fetal medicine unit. The hospital stated she has now returned home in stable condition and will continue specialized outpatient care at the Fetal Medicine Clinic.