Korea's lightest newborn goes home after 198 days in hospital

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Korea's lightest newborn goes home after 198 days in hospital

Published: 12 Nov. 2024, 14:01 Updated: 12 Nov. 2024, 18:46

Ye-rang was born prematurely at just 260 grams on April 22 at 25 weeks and five days of gestation. [SAMSUNG HOSPITAL]

The lightest newborn ever recorded in Korea has safely gone home 198 days after her birth.

Weighing in at just 260 grams (9.17 ounces), Ye-rang was born on April 22 at 25 weeks and five days of gestation. A full-term pregnancy typically lasts 40 weeks.

Ye-rang was an eagerly awaited gift for her parents, arriving three years after their marriage. However, her growth halted at 21 weeks due to complications.

Ye-rang was born prematurely at just 260 grams on April 22 at 25 weeks and five days of gestation. [SAMSUNG HOSPITAL]

The pregnancy was affected by intrauterine growth restriction and pre-eclampsia — a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to other organ systems. Ye-rang's mother was admitted to Samsung Hospital’s Maternal Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU) — a specialized unit launched in 2014 to treat high-risk pregnancies — where she delivered Ye-rang.

Upon her birth, the tiny infant faced numerous severe challenges, including respiratory failure and septic shock, and required intensive treatments like ventilator support, antibiotics and blood transfusions.

Ye-rang was discharged from Samsung Hospital on Nov. 5. [SAMSUNG HOSPITAL]

However, with dedicated care from the hospital’s medical staff and weekly oral and physical rehabilitation, she gradually gained strength.

After six months in the hospital, Ye-rang was discharged on Nov. 5 and weighed in at 3.19 kilograms — over 10 times her birth weight, the hospital said on Tuesday.

According to a 2022 assessment by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the survival rate for infants under 500 grams is 36.8 percent, and for those under 300 grams like Ye-rang, it’s less than 1 percent, making Ye-rang’s safe return home nothing short of a miracle.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]