Genetic testing during woman's pregnancy leads to a life-saving discovery

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A pregnant woman undergoing routine genetic testing discovers a health crisis she knew nothing about but credits her baby with saving her life.

At two-days-old, Anaya is already surrounded by love. Her name means “unique” and her story certainly is.

“When she's old enough to understand, yea, I'll tell her,” said Sharvari. “I think I've been extremely lucky because we caught it in time.”

Dr. Van Boham with the Desert Perinatal Associates is Sharvari’s doctor who says his patient underwent routine genetic testing early in pregnancy.

He says the baby was perfectly normal but the results showed a problem with Sharvari.

A cancerous mass, bigger than a baseball has been growing inside her chest.

“This is the first time I've ever seen something like this,” said Dr. Van Bohman.

“It turned out to be Hodgkins Lymphoma,” said Sharvari. And she had no idea. “If it hadn't been for the baby, I wouldn't do the genetic testing and I wouldn't know there was something wrong with the DNA.”

The diagnosis came when Sharvari was just two months pregnant.

From then on, she underwent a chest MRI every month and was treated with steroids. Now, that she’s delivered, chemotherapy can begin. And the prognosis is excellent.

“I think we caught this cancer at a very early stage and that makes all the difference,” Dr. Van Bohman told us.

Now, baby, mom, and the entire family are getting ready to go home. Moving forward with Sharvari’s care all because of a blood test and angel that showed them a way.