A baby boy believed to be born smallest in the world has stunned his doctors, miraculously surviving despite weighing just 268 grams.
Just this week his family has finally taken him home. Get ready to reach for the tissues, this is the feel good story of the week.
The baby (who’s name has been withheld) was born in August last year at just 24 weeks gestation. He was noted to have stopped growing in his mother’s womb and was delivered by emergency c-section.
His prognosis at birth was dire, with the teeny tiny baby being so small he could fit in his parent’s cupped hands. However against all the odds and in a truly feel-good story, the worlds tiniest baby, has this week gone home.
According to a Keio University Hospital (Japan) spokesman, the baby now holds the record as the smallest newborn boy to be discharged from a hospital in good health.
5 months after he was born and 2 months after his actual due date, the little miracle has left hospital weighing a healthy 3.24kg.
The baby boy’s treating physician, Doctor Takeshi Arimitsu, said he wanted to tell people that “There is a possibility that babies will be able to leave the hospital in good health even though they are born small”.
But his biggest fan, of course, is his mum, who said she was thrilled to be able to take her little man home. His mum has commented, “I can only say I’m happy that he has grown this big because honestly, I wasn’t sure he could survive.”
His recovery is all the more remarkable because the survival rate for tiny babies is substantially lower for boys than girls. Interestingly, Japan has one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates in the world, according to UNICEF data.
Interested in more amazing baby stories? What about this mum who’s little one was left behind in there airport just this week!
Images via AFP and YouTube.
