Seventeen weeks into her pregnancy, Chicagoan Brionna Johnson went into surgery facing what doctors had called a once-dire outlook. When she woke up at Loretto Hospital on the city’s West Side, she learned surgeons had removed a 27-pound fibroid but left both her pregnancy and her fertility intact, easing a massive growth that had been squeezing her organs and making it hard to breathe. Her surgical team now describes her recovery as remarkable.
According to ABC7 Chicago, Johnson said several physicians had previously advised ending the pregnancy and performing a hysterectomy to control the tumor. Instead, OB/GYN Dr. Pierre Johnson removed the fibroid through a small, low abdominal incision at Loretto Hospital without affecting the pregnancy. Clinicians told the station she is expected to have a healthy remainder of her pregnancy, with her due date in August, and the report notes that her fertility was preserved.
The Surgeon And The Small West Side Hospital Behind The Big Save
Dr. Pierre Johnson is listed on the hospital’s site as an OB/GYN who focuses on minimally invasive surgery for benign gynecologic masses. Loretto Hospital describes him as board certified and experienced in laparoscopic and robotic approaches to fibroid removal, a background that helped set the stage for Johnson’s unusual operation.
Why Operating On Fibroids During Pregnancy Is Rare
Myomectomy during pregnancy is not standard practice. The pregnant uterus has increased blood flow, which raises the risk of severe bleeding and pregnancy loss, so surgeons typically reserve operating for true emergencies or symptoms that do not respond to other treatments. A systematic review and case reports indicate that in carefully selected patients, myomectomy during pregnancy can be performed with meticulous planning and extensive counseling. Reviews of this evidence are available on PubMed.
Both Johnson and her surgeon spoke to ABC7 Chicago. Johnson said she is "starting to feel the flutters and the movement," while Dr. Johnson described her "outlook...phenomenal" as she recovers. The station reports that the medical team plans to monitor the pregnancy closely as it progresses.
What This Case Puts Under The Spotlight
Uterine fibroids are common. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences estimates that about 70 percent or more of women will have fibroids by age 50, and they often create difficult treatment decisions for people who still hope to have children. A recent meta-analysis found that non-white patients were less likely to receive minimally invasive hysterectomy for benign disease, a disparity experts say can limit access to care that preserves the uterus. For background on fibroids and these patterns, see resources from the NIEHS and PubMed Central.
What Comes Next For Johnson And Her Neighbors
Loretto clinicians say they will continue to follow Johnson’s pregnancy and plan repeated monitoring as she moves toward delivery. Johnson and her surgeon have urged other patients to seek second opinions if they are told hysterectomy is the only option, and professional groups recommend individualized counseling when fibroid treatment overlaps with pregnancy. For general guidance on fibroids and pregnancy, patients can look to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists at ACOG.
