Meet the Most Premature and Smallest Babies Ever Born
Learn about some of the tiniest preemies, including the smallest baby ever born. These are kids who defied the odds stacked against them.Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottIf you've never seen an extremely premature baby, it's hard to describe just how small these tiny miracles can be. Between 22 and 24 weeks gestation is considered the earliest age of survival for preemies. These preemies weigh an average of just over a pound at birth. Incredibly, though, the smallest surviving baby ever born weighed only about half of that, around 7.5 ounces.The stories of these amazing preemies may give you hope or solace if you have a pre-term infant or are at risk for pre-term labor and delivery. While not all preemies will have the positive outcomes of these incredible babies, some will. Each case will be different, and fortunately, medical care continues to advance, giving greater hope for the survival of more premature babies.
Christina House-Pool / Getty Images
Premature Birth and Survival RatesApproximately 1 in 10 babies are born preterm in the United States. Of those that are born before 28 weeks, many do not survive. Those who do face high rates of disability and other medical complications. The survival gap between high- versus low-income countries is getting wider. In the United States, incredible advances in neonatal intensive care have allowed for the survival of increasingly smaller and younger babies.The age of viability is usually considered to be 24 weeks of gestation. More often than not, this is the cutoff used when trying to save the life of a preterm infant. Research published in the Journal of Medical Ethics observed a 26% to 44% chance of survival for babies born between 24 to 25 weeks. However, depending on the circumstances, some babies born before 24 weeks also may survive, although the chances are even lower. Micro Preemie SurvivalFor extremely premature babies to survive, they require access to many medical resources. They face high odds of having some level of disability or developmental impairment, such as cerebral palsy, visual impairment, hearing impairment, or cognitive delays.
World's Smallest BabiesThese babies were some of the smallest babies ever born to survive. The details of their births and survival give lessons on the risks and care needed for these extremely small babies.Kwek Yu XuanIn June 2020, at 24 weeks pregnant, Wong Mei Ling of Singapore had to have an emergency cesarean section due to preeclampsia, a life-threatening form of high blood pressure that can happen during pregnancy. Doctors expected the baby to weigh around 1.5 pounds. Instead, the baby girl, Kwek Yu Xuan, weighed only 7.5 ounces and was deemed the smallest baby ever born.After 13 months of intensive neonatal care, Yu Xuan went home weighing about 14 pounds. The medical professionals who cared for her at the hospital had to improvise as many of their normal tools and techniques were too big for the baby's small body. Yu Xuan beat the odds and continues to grow and thrive.Baby SaybieBorn at just 23 weeks and 3 days in December 2018, Baby Saybie beat the odds. She weighed just 8.6 ounces and was 9 inches long, making her one of the tiniest babies known to have survived. To put her tiny size in perspective, she weighed about as much as a large apple.Baby Saybie (who also had to be delivered early due to preeclampsia in her mother) is unusual in that she experienced very few of the medical complications many micro-preemies tend to have, such as issues with their lungs, heart, and brain. Her NICU team called her progress miraculous.Today, despite being small for her age, Baby Saybie continues to thrive with few known medical issues. She is now living at home with her family in California.Rumaisa RahmanBorn September 19, 2004, Rumaisa Rahman and her fraternal twin sister Hiba were born at 25 weeks and 6 days gestation, about 15 weeks before their due date. At birth, Rumaisa weighed just 8.6 ounces (244 grams)—about the size of a small cell phone. She was 9.8 inches long. Rumasia's twin sister Hiba was more than twice her size, at 1 pound 4 ounces and 12 inches long.Rumaisa and her twin were delivered early because their mom had severe preeclampsia, which can cause babies to be smaller than average for their gestational age (as can being a twin). Rumaisa had laser eye surgery for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Though she is smaller than other kids her age, she shows no other long-term effects from her extremely premature birth.Melinda Star GuidoAt the time of her birth on August 30, 2011, Melinda Star Guido became the second-smallest baby in the US and the world's third-smallest baby to survive long enough to leave the hospital. Melinda was born at 24 weeks because her mom had developed high blood pressure during her pregnancy. She weighed 9.5 ounces at birth.She used supplemental oxygen at home to treat bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and had to have surgery to repair a patent ductus arteriosis (PDA) and laser eye surgery for ROP. In the months after her birth, her brain was free from any bleeding from intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), an excellent sign for her future. After more than 16 weeks in the hospital, Melinda went home weighing 4.5 pounds."Tom Thumb"One of the world's smallest surviving baby boys at the time of his birth was a German baby nicknamed "Tom Thumb." "Tom" was delivered in June 2009 at 25 weeks gestation. He weighed 275 grams, just over 9.7 ounces. "Tom" is notable because most of the other smallest babies ever born who have survived are girls.Madeline MannBorn in 1989, Madeline Mann was born at 26 weeks. Today, she is still one of the world's smallest surviving preemies. Although she weighed just 9.9 ounces (280 grams) at birth, which was a world record at the time, Madeline became a healthy young woman and has no long-term effects of her premature birth.Kenna MooreKenna Moore was smaller than a soda can when she was born on January 9, 2012, at 9.6 ounces. She was born at 24 weeks in Charlotte, North Carolina after her mother was diagnosed with high blood pressure and preeclampsia. After 183 days in the hospital, Kenna went home with feeding and oxygen tubes. Over the years, she has had many hours of therapy and doctor's appointments, but her family is grateful she's as healthy as she is.World's Youngest PreemiesThe babies above have all had remarkable outcomes, and many show few major developmental delays despite their extremely small size at birth. It is important to note that these babies, although they were all very small, were born at 23 weeks gestation or later. At such a young age, every extra day spent inside the uterus is very valuable and helped these babies to mature beyond their small size.Curtis MeansCurtis Means was born 132 days premature at only 21 weeks gestation on July 5, 2020. His twin, C'Asya, did not survive. Curtis was able to go home with a feeding tube and supplemental oxygen after nine months in the NICU at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is thought to be the world's most premature baby to survive.James Elgin GillJames Elgin Gill was born in Ottawa, Ontario, on May 20, 1987, around 128 days early or 21 weeks gestation. He set a record when he was born for the world's most premature baby. James was born so early that he was expected to die at birth or have multiple and severe handicaps if he happened to survive. James beat all of the odds, growing to be a healthy adult.Richard HutchinsonRichard Hutchinson was born at just 21 weeks and 2 days gestation on June 5, 2020. He weighed 11.9 ounces. His mom, Beth Hutchinson, said he was able to fit into one hand. He spent five months in the hospital before going home in Wisconsin. At his first birthday, Richard was using oxygen, but his mom describes him as "happy and fairly healthy."Amillia TaylorMiami-born Amillia Taylor was born at just under 22 weeks gestation in October 2006. Because Amillia was conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF), her gestational age could be pinpointed exactly. Although she needed oxygen at hospital discharge, she is otherwise healthy today. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings