Two years later, Ms. Sun returned to the Obstetrics Department of Renji Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, with her family of three. “Our child is a‘child of Renji.’ Now that she’s turning two, we must bring her back to meet her‘Renji mothers’!” Ms. Sun said emotionally.  

The story dates back to March 6, 2016, when Ms. Sun underwent a cesarean section to deliver her baby. The next afternoon, she experienced chest tightness, and a cardiac ultrasound revealed a “linear hypoechoic structure” in her right atrium and ventricle—a sign of life-threatening right heart thrombosis. By 5:00 PM, Director Lin Jianhua of the obstetrics team recognized the urgency: the thrombus could dislodge at any moment, causing fatal pulmonary embolism. An emergency multidisciplinary consultation was called.  

By 5:45 PM, experts from cardiac surgery, cardiology, anesthesiology, and intensive care rushed to the obstetrics ICU. During the consultation, at 6:30 PM, Ms. Sun suddenly turned cyanotic, became agitated, and lost consciousness. Her heart rate and blood pressure plummeted to undetectable levels. The medical team sprang into action: under Director Lin’s command, anesthesiologists intubated her, while ICU Director Gao Yuan led doctors in continuous chest compressions. Cardiac specialists inserted catheters to monitor vital signs and administer medications. Obstetric nurses and technicians rushed from home to perform bedside imaging and repeat echocardiograms.  

For 90 grueling minutes, the team persisted despite no signs of life. “CPR is exhausting, but we held onto one belief: even a 1% chance deserved 100% effort,” recalled Director Lin. Finally, spontaneous breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure returned. By March 8, Ms. Sun miraculously regained consciousness.  

“That day was my darkest hour—a bolt from the blue. Every moment is etched in my memory. I owe my life to the Renji team’s refusal to give up,” Ms. Sun shared. To honor this ordeal, they named their daughter “Jingyi”. “We hope her story inspires awe for medical science. And if she ever has the chance, we hope she becomes a doctor!”  

As the bright-eyed toddler played nearby, Director Lin smiled warmly. “Pregnancy induces hypercoagulability, raising risks of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, which are 99% fatal. Ms. Sun’s survival was a miracle—but behind it was the invisible dedication of Renji’s team.”