A premature baby weighing just 600 gm and born at 26 weeks gestation survived miraculously at the Ankura Hospital in Pune. The normal period of gestation is 37 to 42 weeks. Since it was born prematurely, the doctors created conditions similar to the mother's womb to help the infant develop naturally. The baby's struggle ended after 70 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and she survived various complications such as respiratory distress syndrome, anaemia of prematurity, osteopenia of prematurity, retinopathy of prematurity, and neonatal jaundice.
In a rare case, for the first time in Pune, a team led by Dr Umesh Vaidya and consisting of Dr Siddharth Madabhushi and Dr Anusha Rao successfully delivered a micro-preemie (tiniest baby girl) at 26 weeks, weighing 600 gm. The mother was filled with happiness as she eagerly waited to welcome her first child. Due to the preterm onset of labour on July 15, she was admitted to the hospital for immediate delivery.
Dr Umesh Vaidya, Group Director & Head Neonatologist, Senior Consultant Paediatrician said, "The mother's condition was stable but she came in preterm labour. A female baby weighing 600 gm at 26 weeks was delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery on July 15. Micro-preemies are babies who are born before 26 weeks gestation and with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) below 750 grams. Now, due to state-of-the-art technology, advanced facilities, and expertise, the survival rates of premature babies have gone up with improved outcomes."
Dr Anusha Rao, Consultant Neonatologist & Paediatrician said, "The baby had underdeveloped lungs while her other organs were too premature to function on their own. She was put on respiratory support for one month. She had other complications such as anaemia of prematurity, osteopenia of prematurity (weak and brittle bones), retinopathy of prematurity, and feeding intolerance. The baby was kept in the NICU and Kangaroo care was initiated after two weeks of postnatal age. She was on ventilatory support for five days and nasal CPAP for a month. She was also given parenteral nutrition. She was started on oral feeds at 34 weeks. The baby was discharged after a 70-day NICU stay and weighed 1.5 kg. Her subsequent hearing tests, ultrasonography, and blood tests were normal on follow-up. The baby is growing well, accepting feeds well, and achieving developmental milestones as per her age."
"Our precious child is a true fighter. Born at just 26 weeks, she bravely faced and conquered every challenge that arose. Today, our baby is growing well and has no health issues," said the mother of the baby.
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