THE Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital witnessed a medical miracle as Rourou, a baby born at an astonishingly premature 21 weeks and 4 days, was released in good health yesterday, setting a new record for premature births survival in China.

Born nearly four months early and weighing a mere 450 grams, Rourou’s initial condition was critical. Prior to Rourou’s case, there was no record of the survival of an infant born at such an early gestational age in China. This medical miracle is a testament to the progress of neonatal care in China, sznews.com reported.

After 143 days of meticulous care and advanced treatment from the dedicated hospital staff, Rourou has impressively reached a gestational age of 41 weeks.

On the day of his discharge, he weighed a healthy 4 kilograms, required no supplemental oxygen, was feeding well, and had stable vital signs — a testament to his incredible journey and the care he received.

Rourou’s mother, Ms. Huang, after challenges with fertility and finally conceiving through assisted reproduction, faced the risk of losing her newborn due to infection and early contractions. Thanks to the swift action of the neonatal resuscitation team who provided emergency care and essential respiratory support, Rourou’s life was saved at a critical moment.

The treatment was fraught with uncertainty, but through innovative strategies, Rourou defied the odds and avoided common complications like intracranial hemorrhage.

His progress continued steadily, and after 52 days, the baby was able to breathe without the aid of tracheal intubation and was transitioned to noninvasive respiratory support.

Setting a national record for the earliest survival of a premature baby, Rourou’s recovery edges close to the world record, marks a significant achievement in neonatal medicine, and provides a beacon of hope for future cases of extreme premature births.

(Windy Shao)