Muscat: A baby girl who was born at 23 weeks weighing just 570 grams has been saved by the medical staff at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Khoula Hospital in Muscat.
The girl was one of a pair of twins. Her twin’s weight was less than 500 grams; she could not be resuscitated and died, according to Oman News Agency (ONA).
The girl’s condition was very critical given that premature children have low immunity and are under threat of serious infections. The baby, therefore required special treatment and stayed in the NICU for four and a half months. The baby was put on respiratory support for 77 days and needed oxygen therapy. She also required inotropic support and antibiotics to treat infections.
Moreover, the baby suffered from a heart problem called Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), which meant that the open hole in her heart was not closed naturally by the third or fourth day of life. Consequently, the PDA was treated and closed with the help of medications.
When she was discharged, the baby’s weight was 2.2kg, and eye and hearing examinations were normal. The baby’s condition will be regularly monitored in the clinic twice a month until she reaches two years of age.
Global statistics show that babies born at 23 weeks have only a 10-40 per cent chance of survival. Of those who survive, more than 50 to 60 per cent have short or long-term complications in the form of bleeding in the head, eye problems, fits, breathing problems with oxygen dependency, and feeding problems.
In this case, the baby was discharged without major complications.