Vadodara: A preterm baby with a birthweight of just 500g survived after an intensive 107-day stay in the neonatal intensive care unit ( NICU ) at Shree Krishna Hospital in Karamsad. The newborn has emerged as one of the smallest babies by weight and gestational maturity to survive premature birth in the Charotar region. The baby girl was born at just 24 weeks of gestation, in June 2024, following an emergency C-section on a resident of Ramol village of Kheda's Vaso taluka.
The baby faced significant challenges in the early days due to the underdevelopment of critical organs such as the lungs, brain, gut and skin. "The first few days were particularly critical. The infant was placed on mechanical ventilation for several days before transitioning to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) support for a 76-day period," said an official, adding that an entire team of the department, including Dr Somashekhar Nimbalkar, Dr Reshma Pujara, Dr Dipen Patel, senior residents and nursing staff, provided comprehensive care to the baby.
"During this time, kangaroo mother care , nutritional management and other supportive measures were provided and gradually the baby began to breastfeed," the official said. After a 107-day stay in the NICU, the baby girl was discharged on Oct 15, weighing 2kg. "The infant is now at home and steadily gaining weight," said Pujara, adding that the family is ensuring regular follow-up care at the hospital.
The treatment was conducted under the Ayushman Bhara.
