Taylor Rideout born on March 12, 2009 now holds the world's record for being the smallest baby born alive and to survive. She weighed in at 12.5ounces or 350grams and was 10 inches long. She was born at Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA at 26 weeks gestation. Babies born before 37 weeks gestation are considered to be premature. Usually a baby is considered to be non-viable if they are born under 500grams and no heroic measure will be done to save their lives. Now that Taylor survived being born at 350grams, I suspect more parents will want everything possible done to save their micropremie. It is interesting that only 46 years ago the son of President Kennedy, Robert Bouvier Kennedy, died of respiratory distress syndrome or hyaline membrane disease. He was 34 weeks gestation and 2110grams or 4 pounds 10 1/2ounces. His death however is said to be a contributing factor to the creation of the first NICU at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Babies born with Hyaline Membrane disease in 2004 had a mortality rate of only 15%. What a drastic change in 40 years. Now infant's are given surfactant that has been derived from bovine or porcine lung extract. Surfactant has only been in use since the early 1990s.
There are an endless amount of complications that arise from "saving" smaller and smaller babies. These infant's are at high risk for developing mental and physical disabilities such as asthma, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision disorders. These tiny patients may try to die over and over again but technology at the hands of neonatalogist save them. Survival then becomes a question of ethics, what type of quality of life does the teeniest tiniest baby have. Since babies are not able to speak for themselves, who has the final say, the physician, parents or God?
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Working in a Pediatric ICU, I see the results of the premature baby. Many of their lives are a struggle with chronic heart and lung diseases...it is a difficult dilemma. We are able, with technology, to keep 24 week premies alive and to survive, but with what kind of quality of life. To be in a hospital bed for months at a time, some parents don't even come and see their child for days... and die from overall complications. Some do OK and some live a poor quality of life despite the technology that is presently available. It is because we live in the United States, where we have the resources and technology, that we are able to save profoundly premature babies. In other countries, they do not have the luxury.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Leah. I can't believe that babies that premature are able to survive. Who knew we had the type of technology that will keep a 10 inch, 12.5 ounce baby alive! Overall I believe God has given us the technology to perform these type of miracles because in the end it is just that a miracle.
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