A baby from Alabama is just over 1 year old, but already holds a Guinness World Record for his impressive birth.
Michelle Butler was five months pregnant with twins when she was rushed into emergency labor at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, and on July 5, 2020, her babies were born, four months ahead of schedule.
Only one baby, Curtis, survived. His sister, C’Asya, was much less developed and died a day later from health complications.
Last Wednesday (10), Curtis received the title of most premature baby in the world to survive by Guinness World Records. November 11 was the expected date of birth and the milestone coincides with the month of awareness of prematurity.
“Survival at this gestational age has never happened before, so before Curtis was born, his chances of survival were well under 1%,” said Dr. Colm Travers, assistant professor in the University’s Division of Neonatology, in a statement to Guinness World Records.
The full pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, but the twins were born at just 21 weeks and 1 day of gestation.
Curtis weighed just 420 grams at birth, similar in weight to a football soccer ball. He underwent constant treatment and was getting stronger every day.
The hospital reported that he needed a respirator for three months after delivery, and he remained for 275 days with 24-hour care.
“The numbers show that babies born this young have little or no chance of survival,” said Dr. Brian Sims, the delivery physician.
After many nurses and therapists helped to feed and care for Curtis, he finally went home on April 6, 2021. Curtis is still taking lots of medications and special treatment, including a feeding tube and bottled oxygen, but he is much healthier. .
“Being able to finally take Curtis home and surprise my older kids with their little brother is a moment I will always remember,” his mother said.
The previous baby who held the same world record, Richard Hutchinson of Wisconsin, was born just one month before Curtis on June 5, 2020. He was born at 21 weeks and 2 days of gestation, just 1 day older than Curtis. Before Richard, the record remained unchanged for 34 years.
Reference: CNN Brasil
