Earliest a Baby Has Been Born During Gestation and Survived
Guinness Earth Records officially named Curtis Means, born at 21 weeks and one day at UAB Hospital, the most premature infant to survive.
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Videography: Andrea Reiber, Jeff Myers, Carson Young and Steve Wood.
In Apr 2021, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of measurement squad historic as Curtis Means was discharged after 275 days in the infirmary. Six months later, Curtis and his team held another celebration as he was officially named the earth's most premature infant to survive by Guinness Earth Records.
Curtis Means was born at 21 weeks and one solar day at UAB Hospital. Born a fighter
Every bit fireworks filled the Quaternary of July night sky, Michelle Butler went into labor at only 21 weeks and one day gestation. She raced to her local hospital and was soon transferred to UAB Hospital, where she gave birth to premature twins, Curtis and C'Asya, effectually ane p.one thousand. on July 5, 2020.
Brian Sims, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pediatrics in the UAB Division of Neonatology, was the attention doc on-call when Butler arrived.
"Numbers show that babies born and so young have lilliputian to no chances of survival," Sims said. "We typically advise for compassionate care in situations of such extremely preterm births. This allows the parents to hold their babies and cherish what little time they may have together."
Sims told Butler the care squad would take their lead from the babies, see how they respond and permit them tell the team what path to take. The twins had a less than 1 percent chance of survival.
The RNICU team jumped into action. Nurses started postal service-birth care, and respiratory therapists apace hooked them up to ventilators and oxygen, all hoping to increase the babies' chances of survival. C'Asya shortly showed signs she was as well premature. She passed away a mean solar day subsequently.
Curtis, however, showed signs of improvement. His heart rate and oxygen levels increased with resuscitation and boosted oxygen. He was fighting for life.
Left: Michelle Butler gives Curtis pare-to-skin care as a way to assist his development.
Correct: Dr. Brian Sims and Curtis during his stay in the RNICU. Information technology takes a hamlet
When Colm Travers, M.D., assistant professor in the Segmentation of Neonatology, arrived at the UAB RNICU the next morning, he was astounded to see Curtis live and responding well to treatment. Travers researches periviable infants, those born at the limits of viability, and could not call up knowing of an infant surviving at a younger gestational age than Curtis.
A baby born that immature takes it 1 step at a time. After surviving the commencement day, Curtis needed to make information technology through the first week. The RNICU squad immediately activated the UAB Aureate Week Program™, a multidisciplinary effort that includes clinical guidance on respiratory support, thermoregulation, nutrition and fluid management, infection prevention, and neurological status.
"When taking care of severely premature babies, y'all have to take it step-by-step and 24-hour interval-past-mean solar day," said Travers, who is co-director of the Golden Week Program™. "The programme combines show-based medicine and all-time practices to increase a premature baby's survival chances during their showtime week of life. The program has resulted in a marked reduction in bloodshed or severe intraventricular hemorrhage inside the get-go calendar week of life."
Curtis continued defying odds, to his family's and the team's amazement. He survived the outset calendar week. Then the starting time month. His journey at UAB, however, was far from over.
Curtis received 'round-the-clock care over the adjacent nine months. Speech therapists worked to assist him start using his mouth and larn to eat. Respiratory therapists supported his breathing through various efforts as he came off the breathing machine. Nurses provided daily intendance, from checking vitals to soothing him to sleep, to supporting Butler equally she learned the intricate care Curtis needed.
"There were days when we were unsure that he would survive," said Sumita Gray, an RNICU nurse on Curtis' squad. "He was the youngest baby anyone had worked with, but we are a level 4 RNICU and knew we had the resources and expertise to support Curtis and his mom. We were determined to see him become domicile."
Care team members celebrate Curtis'southward discharge on April 6, 2021 after 275 days in the RNICU. Graduation day
After 275 days in the UAB RNICU, Curtis was discharged on April 6, 2021, a day filled with joy and a petty disbelief. A baby with a less than i pct chance of survival was healthy plenty to get habitation to his family unit.
The team gathered to give their goodbyes and offer words of communication to Butler, specifically to bask the time she has with Curtis.
"Being able to finally have Curtis home and surprise my older children with their younger brother is a moment I will always remember," Butler said. "It was a hard journey, only I am grateful for the UAB squad and their constant back up. They took the time to educate me and made sure I knew what was happening every footstep of the way. They truly cared about my son and me."
Before leaving, Travers reminded Butler nearly a chat they had when Curtis was built-in. Travers thought that Curtis may exist the youngest babe built-in non only in the state, but in the world. Travers continued researching records during Curtis' stay and never institute a more than premature infant who survived. With Butler'south permission, Travers reached out to Guinness World Records in hopes his hunch was correct.
Globe tape holder
Half dozen months after Curtis' discharge, his care team gathered exterior the UAB Women and Infants Centre, where he was built-in. At that place they surprised Butler and Curtis with an important document that read:
Guinness World Records – The nigh premature baby to survive is Curtis Zy-Keith Means (United statesA.) who was born to Michelle Butler on 5 July 2020 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital in Alabama, U.S.A. at a gestational age of 21 weeks 1 twenty-four hour period or 148 days, making him 132 days premature.
Curtis and Michelle reunite with members from his intendance team outside of the UAB Women and Infants Middle to gloat his Guinness Globe Records title.
Photography: Andrea Mabry The team saw the culmination of their collaboration, research, programs and expertise in the grinning of a happy, healthy 1-year-old boy.
"Curtis defied all scientific odds," Travers said. "Gestational age and birth weight are 2 key predictors of a premature infant'south survival, and other factors include if the baby is a female, a single birth and if the mother was administered steroids that help with lung development before birth. Curtis did not run across any of these criteria."
While Curtis presented a unique opportunity for the NICU team to put years of do, feel and research to the test, he as well offered the team a unique opportunity to study something that no other hospital in the world has had the opportunity to do.
"He is truly the world'due south N=i infant," Sims said. "We do not know what all the future will hold for Curtis since there is no one else like him. He started writing his own story the 24-hour interval he was born. That story will be read and studied past many and, hopefully, will help improve care of premature infants around the world."
Source: https://www.uab.edu/news/health/item/12427-uab-hospital-delivers-record-breaking-premature-baby
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