Weighing Only 283g and Measuring 24cm at Birth
Discharged Safely This January and Now Living Healthily
A baby who was born after just 21 weeks of gestation, 133 days before the expected due date, has safely celebrated their first birthday. With this, the baby has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the 'world's most premature surviving baby.' On July 23 (local time), Guinness World Records introduced the story of Nash Keen, who was born 133 days earlier than the expected delivery date. On July 5 last year, Nash Keen came into the world 133 days ahead of schedule, weighing only 283 grams and measuring 24 centimeters at birth. He was so small that his entire body could be covered by the outstretched palm of an adult man. Nash was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the University of Iowa Hospital and received treatment for six months.
A baby born at 21 weeks, 133 days before the due date, safely celebrated their first birthday. guinnessworldrecords
Nash faced several major challenges during the initial phase of treatment but demonstrated remarkable resilience. After surviving a precarious first few weeks, his condition gradually improved, and his mother Molly was able to hold her baby in her arms three weeks after giving birth. She recalled, "It was a hazy memory mixed with fear, uncertainty, and hope. The baby was so tiny that I could barely feel him. His entire body was covered in wires, which made me extremely nervous, but the moment he was placed on my chest, all the tension disappeared. I felt a rush of pure relief and love all at once."
Day by day, Nash continued to defy the odds and was able to leave the hospital and go home with his family this January. Nash still requires ongoing treatment, including tube devices for oxygen and nutrition, and he wears hearing aids due to hearing loss. However, his parents and medical team remain strongly hopeful. Molly said, "I am truly proud of how much Nash has grown," and added, "He is getting stronger every day." Dr. Amy Stanford, the attending specialist, said, "After about a month, we all felt a little more at ease. We knew the child still had a tough journey ahead, but we became confident that he might be able to go home. It was a subtle but powerful change."
The baby was recognized in the Guinness World Records as the "earliest surviving baby born in the world."
Dr. Amy went on to say, "I feel a great sense of pride watching Nash grow and develop. Nash is a source of pride not only for himself but also for his family and all the medical staff." She added, "Nash is paving the way for the treatment of other babies born prematurely. Nash and his family have taught me the power of never giving up hope, and I have been greatly inspired by their resilience and determination."
Meanwhile, to celebrate Nash's first birthday, Guinness World Records presented him with an official certificate recognizing him as the 'world's most premature surviving baby.' Nash broke the previous record by one day to be listed in the Guinness Book. The previous record holder was Curtis Zy-Keith Means, who was born at the University of Alabama Hospital in Alabama, USA, after 21 weeks and 1 day of gestation on July 5, 2020.
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