Tiniest Surviving Baby Boy Ever Leaves Hospital In Good Health
Mar 15, 2019 by apost team
A happy family living in Tokyo, Japan are celebrating their good fortune after they were allowed to bring their little boy home from the hospital.
For most parents, this is a special memory that will last a lifetime. For these parents, it is even more meaningful. That is because their little boy, who has yet to be named, enjoyed a record-setting story from the time he was born.
The infant was only 9.45 ounces when he arrived in the world back in August of 2018, Reuters reported. This made him the smallest baby to ever be born alive, according to a database of the world's littlest babies held by the University of Iowa.
He was so small he could fit inside of the hands of any adult that held him. The infant was delivered via an emergency C-section in just the 24th week of pregnancy. The reason he was delivered so soon was that doctors realized he was not gaining any weight in the womb. They knew the only way to save him was to intervene and give him a chance on the outside.
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According to The Quint Boenker Preemie Survival Foundation , infants that weigh less than 2.2 pounds when they are born only have a 39% chance of living. However, Keio University Hospital, the place this infant was delivered, gave him a more optimistic view on life. They told the parents he had a 50-50 chance of surviving.
The infant was able to gain seven pounds while being cared for at the hospital. He was discharged with his parents after doctors claimed he was healthy enough to make it on his own.
His mother told the Huffington Post that she had her own doubts during the harrowing ordeal. However, she is thrilled that he was able to gain the pounds necessary to discharge him from the hospital.
The adorable baby now holds the record for being the smallest surviving baby in the world. Doctors all over are agreeing that this is wonderful news, as it proves that even the tiniest of babies can survive when given the chance.
The boy’s doctor, Takeshi Arimitsu, told the BBC he hopes the child’s survival shows
“there is a possibility that babies will be able to leave the hospital in good health, even though they are born small.”
It has been reported that boys usually have a lower survival rate when born prematurely when compared to girls. This is because their lungs do not develop as quickly.
We hope this little boy gets healthier and healthier every day! Please feel free to leave us a comment and then pass this along to others who love babies!