‘Micro preemie’ Kwek Yu Xuan was given a “limited chance of survival” at a hospital in Singapore after she was born four months early weighing just 212g (7.47oz) and measuring only 9ins long
Image: Kwek Family)
A baby girl believed to be the world’s tiniest to survive a premature birth weighed the size of an apple when she arrived four months early.
‘Micro preemie’ Kwek Yu Xuan weighed just 212g (7.47oz) and measured only 9ins long when she was delivered via emergency Caesarean section at 25 weeks.
The size of her thigh was was about that of a finger, and she was given a “limited chance of survival”, said Singapore’s National University Hospital (NUH).
After defying the odds and spending the first 13 months of her life in hospital, she was finally healthy enough to go home with parents Kwek Wee Liang and Wong Mei Ling, both 35, last month.
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National University Hospital)
Yu Xuan now weighs a healthier 6.3kg (14lbs) after being discharged on July 9.
The hospital said: “Against the odds, with health complications present at birth, she has inspired people around her with her perseverance and growth, which makes her an extraordinary ‘Covid-19’ baby – a ray of hope amid turmoil.”
The previous record holder was an American newborn, named Saybie, who weighed just 245g (8.6oz), according to the Tiniest Baby registry maintained by the University of Iowa.
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National University Hospital)
Mei Ling gave birth on June 9 last year after she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a condition characterised by high blood pressure that can damage organs and be fatal for mother and baby.
She had felt abdominal pains and was rushed to NUH.
She told the Straits Times: “I didn’t expect to give birth so quickly, and we were very sad that Yu Xuan was born so small. But due to my condition, we didn’t have a choice. We could just hope that she would continue to grow (and be healthy).”
She was shocked because the birth of her son, who is four, was a routine one.
After the emergency C-section, Yu Xuan was incredibly frail and her lungs were not developed, she had to be placed on a ventilator to help her breathe.
Staff attempting to monitor her vital signs had a hard time attaching probes to her because her skin was so thin.
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National University Hospital)
A normal newborn nappy was bigger than the size of her body, so staff cut up material and made nappies that were small enough to fit Yu Xuan.
The infant underwent a number of treatments and was hooked up to several different machines to help her to survive.
The hospital bill cost about £100,000, and was covered by a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than £190,000.
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National University Hospital)
The rest of the money was set aside for Yu Xuan’s future needs and the other half was returned to Give Asia so it would be passed on to families in need.
Now aged 14 months, Yu Xuan is at home with her parents.
She has chronic lung disease and requires a ventilator at home for oxygen assistance.
Doctors believe she will get better as times goes on.