UAE mother who gave birth in coma faces worsening health, lung transplant urgency

“I can walk a total of 10 steps,” says Amal Othman, the UAE mother who woke from a coma last year to find she had given birth, as she now faces a deteriorating condition and a need for lung transplant.

Months after her story drew widespread attention, Amal says her health has significantly worsened, leaving her unable to carry out even the most basic daily tasks. “Any effort makes me lose oxygen. Even talking feels exhausting,” she told Khaleej Times.

Medical reports reviewed by Khaleej Times, including a recent update by Othman’s doctor, confirm severe and progressive lung damage following acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by viral pneumonia during pregnancy. The condition has since developed into pulmonary fibrosis, drastically reducing her lung function.

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“At this point, I’m functioning on roughly a quarter of a lung,” Amal said, explaining that her oxygen levels drop rapidly with minimal movement.

Doctors have recommended that she undergo evaluation for a lung transplant — currently considered her only viable long-term option. However, the process is complex and cannot proceed immediately.

Her sister, a nurse who has been closely involved in her care, said multiple medical issues must first be stabilised. “The fibrosis in her lungs has reached an advanced stage and is now affecting her heart,” she said. “There is strain on the heart because of the lungs, and she also has complications that need to be addressed before transplant.”

Among the most serious challenges are blood clots near the lungs, which could compromise a transplanted organ if not treated. “There are clots in vessels close to the lungs. If a transplant is done without resolving them, it could damage the new lung,” her sister explained.

In addition, Amal underwent major abdominal surgery during her critical illness, resulting in part of her intestines being removed and rerouted through an opening in her abdomen. Doctors say this must also be surgically corrected before she can safely undergo a transplant.

“They need to fix the bowel connection first,” her sister said. “But even that is complicated because of her medical history and the risks involved.”

Amal says these complications have left her living with constant physical limitations. She cannot lie comfortably, struggles to eat and sleep normally, and requires assistance with daily activities.

The impact extends to her role as a mother. She says she is unable to carry or even properly hold her youngest daughter — the child she gave birth to while in a coma.

“I can’t put her on my lap because of the surgery in my abdomen,” she said.

Since falling critically ill in early 2024, Amal has undergone around 40 surgeries, many of them during and after her time in intensive care. She spent months on life support, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that oxygenates blood outside the body when the lungs can no longer function.

After exhausting treatment options, she was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi for advanced care, where she remained for nearly a year before being discharged.

While she survived the ordeal and eventually regained consciousness, Amal says her condition has not improved in the way she had hoped.

“I thought after waking up things would get better,” she said. “But it’s getting harder.”

Doctors have placed her on an intensive treatment plan that includes around 26 medications daily to manage her lungs, heart function, blood circulation and other complications. 

Her treatment is further complicated by high medical costs and insurance constraints, which have affected her ability to consistently access specialised care, medications and follow-up at advanced centres. These challenges come as she requires highly specialised interventions across multiple disciplines before she can be considered for transplant.

For now, her immediate future depends on whether doctors can stabilise her condition enough to make a lung transplant possible. She is scheduled for further evaluation to determine the next steps. “I just want to breathe normally again,” she said. “That’s all.”