Most premature baby ever born who had less than 1% survival chance celebrates 4th birthday

Curtis Zy-Keith Means from the United States is the most premature baby ever born at just 21 weeks 1 day gestational age.

Curtis was born 132 days premature on July 5 2020 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital in Alabama.

At his birth, doctors predicted that he had less than 1% chance of survival but unimaginably, Curtis is thriving and celebrates his fourth birthday today (July 5).

An article published by the Guinness World Records indicated that Curtis weighed just 420 g (14.8 oz) when he was born, a weight equivalent to that of an American football.

Curtis is reported to have spent the first nine months of his life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. However, his twin sister, C’Aysa did not survive and tragically passed away.

The Guinness World Records subsequently awarded Curtis with the Most Premature baby to ever survive.

Curtis was born just over halfway through the standard gestational period for a full-term pregnancy, which is 40 weeks (280 days).

He now weighs 33 lb (14.9 kg) at age four. Curtis’ mum, Michelle told the GWR that the lad loves playing with his toys and watching his favourite cartoon, Mickey Mouse.

A recent photo of Curtis show him posing with his GWR certificate, a moment which recalls how far Curtis has come compared to when he was born.

In an interview with the GWR, Michelle spoke about her pregnancy: “Everything was going good. I thought I was going to carry them all the way up until my due date.”

Brian Sims, a professor of paediatrics at the UAB Division of Neonatology, said Curtis’ birth “was a complete shock”.

“I was called by my obstetrical colleagues that Curtis’s mom was in the labour and delivery and she was precipitously about to deliver, and they wanted me to go in and talk to her about the poor prognosis of babies being born at 21 weeks and one day.”

During these periods, it was a stressful for Michelle as she was kept in the hospital for four days after giving birth to Curtis.

Curtis on the other was also put in a ventilator for three months and he needed support to help him breathe and medications for his heart and lungs.

He remained on a nasal cannula for oxygen when he returned home.

Mr Sims recalled: “When Curtis was discharged, there was much excitement in the unit.

“Curtis was a special young man and there was something unique about him.”

He added: “[Michelle] made the first campaign for Curtis to be alive. She was a champion for her baby, she spoke up for her baby and I’m so thankful that we listened to her.”

Michelle said that Curtis setting the record was a “blessing” and that she’s “very proud” of how far he’s come.

The post Most premature baby ever born who had less than 1% survival chance celebrates 4th birthday first appeared on 3News.

Read Full Story