A verification email has been sent to you. But Linzi says that a chance conversation with a member of the maternity unit staff at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness saved her son's life. The proud mom told Guinness World Records that Curtis or Poodie, as his family calls him is now very active., Dr. Brian Sims, the neonatologist who oversaw the delivery, told Guinness World Records that he had never seen a premature baby so strong.. The title was previously held by James Elgin Gill, who was born at 128 days premature in Ottawa, Canada, in 1987. . The same little boy that once fit in the palm of my hand, with skin so translucent that I could see every rib and vessel in his tiny body. Dr. Colm Travers, co-director of the hospitals Golden Week Program for extremely preterm infants, was the first person to suspect that Curtis gestational age could set a world record. Amazingly, Curtis was delivered exactly one month after the previous record holder, Richard Hutchinson from Wisconsin, who was born at a gestational age of 21 weeks 2 days, or 131 days premature on 5 June 2020. I couldnt help but squeeze him and tell him how proud I was of him. When Beth and Rick Hutchinson (both USA) welcomed their son into the world on 5 June 2020 several months ahead of schedule he was so small that he could fit into the palm of one of their hands. As of 2006, the two youngest children to survive premature birth are thought to be James Elgin Gill (born on 20 May 1987 in Ottawa, Canada, at 21 weeks and 5 days gestational age), and Amillia Taylor (born on 24 October 2006 in Miami, Florida, at 21 weeks and 6 days gestational age). And at least two babies have survived at 21 weeks. Against all odds. A record-breaking baby girl who was born at just 21 weeks and five days has spent Easter at home with her delighted parents after spending five months in neonatal care. "Although I am not well educated and I am from poor background I found my voice to stick up for myself and my unborn baby. They can happen after that but only in exceptional circumstances - e.g if the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability. Now in November which is aptly Prematurity Awareness Month Curtis is about to see in what would have been his first birthday (11 November) had he gone to full term. IE 11 is not supported. Between-hospital variation in treatment and outcomes in extremely preterm infants. The previous record for most premature baby belonged to Richard Hutchinson, who was born 131 days premature on June 5, 2020. Doctors expected the baby to weigh around 1.5 pounds. They shouldn't take no for an answer. A full-term pregnancy is typically 40 weeks, or 280 days, making Curtis 132 days almost 19 weeks premature. I remember picking him up out of his crib and just holding him with tears in my eyes. Always has a smile on the adorable little face of his. This meant that Rick and Beth made the journey every single day across the state border from their home in St Croix County, Wisconsin, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to spend as much time as they could with their son. Ive been doing this almost 20 years, but Ive never seen a baby this young be as strong as he was. Born at just 21 weeks and weighing less than a pound, doctors at Children's Minnesota in Minneapolis gave Richard a 0% chance of survival. They took the time to educate me and made sure I knew what was happening every step of the way. I knew the first few weeks of Richards life would be very difficult, but I felt that if he could make it through that, he would be a survivor," neonatologist at Childrens Minnesota, Dr Stacy Kern told Guinness Book of World Records. This time there were serious consequences. Dr Kern told us, "The day Richard was discharged from the NICU was such a special day. She weighed 9.5 ounces at birth. "His birthday was a blast we just had family over and had cake and ice cream. To put her tiny size in perspective, she weighed about as much as a large apple. According to Guinness, in 1978, a Canadian couple delivered a baby boy at 21 weeks and five days. During Richard's hospital stay, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hutchinson and her husband, Rick, spent lots of time traveling between home and the hospital, as they were unable to stay overnight with their son due to restrictions from the pandemic. 1:38. Andrea Rice is an award-winning journalist and a freelance writer, editor, and fact-checker specializing in health and wellness. After 13 months of intensive neonatal care, this baby went home weighing about 14 pounds. In certain US states, you can't call a baby a baby until 20 weeks gestation. "Ive been doing this almost 20 years but Ive never seen a baby this young be as strong as he was There was something special about Curtis.". "[] The have both amazed me and they continue to amaze me. (Dan) On this day. Canadian baby, James Elgin Gill, born in 1987, previously held the Guinness records after he was born at 21 weeks, five days, or 128 days premature. Research published in the Journal of Medical Ethics observed a 26% to 44% chance of survival for babies born between 24 to 25 weeks. We would encourage the family to get in touch with our lead midwife so we can investigate this properly. The survival gap between high versus low-income countries is getting wider. Richard was born at a gestational age of 21 weeks 2 days, making him 131 days premature. Marra A. Melinda Star Guido: California's tiniest 'Miracle Baby' goes home. Before Richard became the record holder, James Elgin Gill of Ottawa held the record for three-and-a-half decades. After more than 16 weeks in the hospital, Melinda went home weighing 4.5 pounds. The standard gestational period for a baby is 40 weeks. The earliest a foetus can survive out of the womb is 22 weeks gestation (when there is a 0-10 per cent chance of survival). After a bit of research, she learned Richard was indeed the world's most premature baby, beating out a record that stood for nearly four decades. A German baby girl, born at just 21 weeks and five days, has been released from the hospital and sent home with her parents after five months in neonatal care. Andrea Mabry/University. They face high odds of having some level of disability or developmental impairment, such as cerebral palsy, visual impairment, hearing impairment, or cognitive delays. HuffPost. James Elgin Gill, born in 1987 in Canada was the earliest premature birth in the world - being born 128 days early at 21 weeks, 5 days gestation, and weighing 1lb 6oz. Richard surpassed the record of James Elgin Gill, who Brenda and James Gill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. As you might expect, the first couple of months were the most challenging. Rumaisa and her twin were delivered early because their mom suffered from severe preeclampsia, which can cause babies to be smaller than average for their gestational age (as can being a twin). The "miracle baby" finally celebrated his first birthday on June 5, as GWC recognized him officially as the most premature baby to ever survive, surpassing a 35-year record held by James Elgin . He weighed in at a mere 1 pound, 6 ounces and was born at less than 18 weeks of gestation. That said, there were many challenges along the way and he required around-the-clock care for many months. But his mother said he is doing very well. "They didn't make any improvement. Today, despite being small for her age, Baby Saybie continues to thrive with few known medical issues. Beth's husband Rick held discussions with doctors and allowed them to carry out the delivery procedure. Beth was scheduled to deliver the baby on October 13, 2020. After 183 days in the hospital, Kenna went home with feeding and oxygen tubes and is now a healthy little girl. He set a record when he was born for world's most premature baby - and beat all the odds, growing into a healthy adult. In the last month, guidance has changed - suggesting that doctors should consider saving the lives of babies born as early as 22 weeks. She shares the world record with James Elgin Gill who was also . Carollo K. One of world's smallest surviving infants goes home. 2013;10(Suppl 1):S5. "There were and still are a lot of different specialists involved with Richard through this whole process, but for him to come home, he had to be stable and had to be on half a liter or less of oxygen as well.". Despite a due date of 13 October 2020, Beth experienced medical complications and unexpectedly went into labour almost four months earlier than anticipated. A full-term pregnancy is usually 40 weeks, making the siblings about 19 weeks premature. This story has been shared 133,541 times. Born at just 23 weeks and 3 days, in December 2018, Baby Saybie beat the odds. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprod Health. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. While the rupture of the membranes may not be followed by labor, usually delivery is indicated as infection ( chorioamnionitis) is a serious threat to both fetus and mother. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He set a record when he was born for the world's most premature baby. "We do not know what all the future will hold for Curtis since there is no one else like him. "My consultant told me she was unable to perform a suture stitch, and I was given pessaries to try to halt the cervix opening. If you've never seen an extremely premature baby, it's hard to describe just how small these tiny miracles can be. James' eyes were still fused shut." Then I found this: But Linzi Mcmillan claims that if she had listened to medical experts her baby wouldn't be alive today. We've received your submission. It was odd, surreal, and completely out of my control. Before him, James Elgin Gill of Canada, born on May 20, 1987 at 128 days premature, had held the record for 34 years. 15 Million preterm births annually: what has changed this year?. California's tiniest baby goes home from hospital. Curtis Zy-Keith Means was born on July 5, 2020, weighing just . When she isn't writing, she can be found at the beach or exploring Florida's theme parks with her family. A recent study found that more and more babies were surviving at 23 weeks, and a study before that found that babies as young as 22 weeks could survive with proper treatment. "My consultant told me she was unable to perform a suture stitch, and I was given pessaries to try to halt the cervix opening. The team at UAB believed that Curtis may be the youngest baby born to survive in the world and, with Butlers permission, reached out to Guinness World Records. The premature baby was treated in the neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children's Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis . Perhaps even more incredible, though, is that prior to Richard, this record had remained unbroken for 34 years. An NHS Highland spokesman said: "We regularly monitor maternity services across our board area to ensure we continue to deliver high-quality, safe care to pregnant women and their babies. He stunned and shocked those involved - fighting and surviving against the greatest of odds. Her NICU team called her progress miraculous. The issue is that the journey is different for every baby we care for and there are often roadblocks along the way which impede progress. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? His original due date had been 11 November. Mum's question to me was: 'Can we give my babies a chance? More about James Elgin Gill Less about James Elgin . An NHS Highland spokesman said: "We regularly monitor maternity services across our board area to ensure we continue to deliver high-quality, safe care to pregnant women and their babies. Fast-forward six months, and Richard was going from strength to strength, defying all expectations. Washington Post. The couple said. 2012;379(9832):2162-72. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60820-4, Kinney MV, Lawn JE, Howson CP, Belizan J. We cant wait to see what the future holds for you. She and her partner Sam MacLennan named him Sam. Hutchinson's parents fought hard to see their son survive the odds. Los Angeles Times. National, regional, and worldwide estimates of preterm birth rates in the year 2010 with time trends since 1990 for selected countries: a systematic analysis and implications. Curtis' survival is a testament to the advances made in medical care for premature babies in the last 30 years. Both children were born just under 20 weeks from . View our online Press Pack. Reprod Health. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. At 24 weeks the survival rate goes up to 40-70 per cent. 20 James was born so early that he was expected to die at birth orif he survivedto have multiple and severe handicaps. He survived and is quite healthy. "They didn't make any improvement. A baby boy born in June 2020 despite reaching only four months in his mother's womb recently celebrated his first birthday, making him the world's most premature baby to survive despite having almost no chances of living. He added they could not comment on individual cases but that risk assessment is undertaken by doctors and midwives on a case by case basis and throughout pregnancy. He has three siblings, the eldest of which love to help out with day-to-day care such as bathtime, getting dressed and feeding. Guinness World Records Kids (opens in a new window), GWR Merchandise Store (opens in a new window), Corporate Social Responsibility activities & fundraising ideas, Community engagement & tourism marketing activities. FacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagramLinkedInSnapchatPinterestTiktok, Registered Office: Ground Floor, The Rookery, 2 Dyott Street, London, WC1A 1DE, United Kingdom, Otto - Longest human tunnel travelled through by a skateboarding dog, Ashrita Furman - Most Guinness World Records titles held. "We love the staff that took care of our son, and wish we could share him with them all the time. He was also the first person to have a suspicion that Curtis 21-week 1-day gestational age could have set a world record, and he played a crucial role in helping Chelly with the record application process. According to Colm Travers, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology at UAB, the team was able to take Curtis off the ventilator when he was around three months old. At birth, Rumaisa weighed just 8.6 ounces (244 grams)about the size of a small cell phone. He was the youngest baby anyone had worked with, but we are a level 4 RNICU and knew we had the resources and expertise to support Curtis and his mom, Sumita Gray, an RNICU nurse on Curtis team, also said in a statement. Before meeting with a consultant, she says the staff member suggested that she asked for a surgical procedure, known as a cervical stitch. That was a special moment for me. The 26-year-old, from Alness in the Scottish Highlands, was told her baby was "not viable" early on in her pregnancy. It was an emotional day not just for the family but also the medical team who had been there with Richard every step of the way. Richard officially surpassed the previous record set by James Elgin Gill, who was born at 21 weeks and 5 days, a record that has been beaten by a mere three days. In June 2020, at 24 weeks pregnant, Wong Mei Ling of Singapore had to have an emergency Caesarean section due to preeclampsia, a life-threatening form of high blood pressure that can happen during pregnancy. To everyone's amazement, Curtis responded extraordinarily well to treatment and, as the days and weeks went on, he grew stronger and stronger. 2015;372(19):1801-11. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1410689. "Initially Curtis was on a lot of breathing support and medication for his heart and lungs to keep him alive, Dr Travers continued. Now at 16 months old, Curtis is happy and healthy. The youngest baby to survive was born at 21 weeks and the record of the world's most premature baby belongs to James Elgin Gill; a Canadian boy born at just 21 weeks 5 days. ", "Survival at this gestational age has never happened before, so before Curtis was born his chances of survival would have been far less than 1%" Dr Colm Travers, assistant professor in the UAB Division of Neonatology. Approach to infants born at 22 to 24 weeks' gestation: Relationship to outcomes of more-mature infants. "When Rick and Beth received prenatal counselling on what to expect with a baby born so early, they were given a zero per cent chance of survival by our neonatology team. TRUSTING a doctor's advice is something instilled in us all. James Elgin Gill, born in 1987 in Canada was the earliestpremature birth in the world - being born 128 days early at 21 weeks, 5 days gestation, and weighing 1lb 6oz. If I had listened to the consultants I would not have baby Sam now. Hutchinson, who lives in Wisconsin, says it was Richard's doctor who began looking into whether or not the baby would qualify as a Guinness world record holder. Over here, a foetus is not a considered person with rights in the eyes of the law until birth. But Linzi Mcmillan claims that if she had listened to medical experts her baby wouldn't be alive today. We'll use the information you provide us to contact you via email about our relevant content, products and services. They. He set a record when he was born for the world's most premature baby. This time there were serious consequences. Richard saw in his first birthday at home with his parents and other relations; both Beth and Rick come from large families. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. By Cheryl Bird, RN, BSN "We made sure we were there to give him support," Rick said. Guinness World Records - The most premature baby to survive is Curtis Zy-Keith Means (U.S.A.) who was born to Michelle Butler on 5 July 2020 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital in Alabama, U.S.A. at a gestational age of 21 weeks 1 day or 148 days, making him 132 days premature. GET IN TOUCH WITH A RECORD SPECIALIST (Opens in a new window), Worlds most premature baby, given 0% odds of survival, celebrates first birthday, The people with the worlds longest nails and why they grow them, Egyptian siblings claim five records including largest feet and hands, UK couple break greatest height difference record with almost 2ft between them, Tales of the tallest men in the world and why they reach such heights, A nail-biting encounter with the woman who has the longest fingernails, How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. November is aptly also Prematurity Awareness Month. But I was not alone. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. "Im very proud of him because where he came from and where he at now, I can tell the difference. Previously, the statement said, the record for the most premature birth was held by James Elgin Gill from Canada. I was told that because my cervix was opening my baby was not viable. One of the world's smallest surviving baby boys at the time of his birth is a German baby nicknamed "Tom Thumb," because his parents prefer to keep his identity private. Cheryl Bird, RN, BSN, is a registered nurse in a tertiary level neonatal intensive care unit at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia. In fact, Guinness World Records confirmed his badge of honour recently. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Tragically, she passed away just a day after birth. He survived and continued to thrive, becoming a highly educated professional at the age of 30. TIME. According to experts, many babies born so prematurely have slim chances of survival. Tiny baby in Singapore, just 7.5 ounces, does home after 13 months in hospital. Chelly told us with a grin when asked about her sons energy levels. James beat all of the odds, growing to be a healthy adult. At a mere 11.9 ounces, the baby was reportedly so small that he could fit in the palm of a hand. When they found out she was pregnant in February 2020, "we were ecstatic," said Beth Hutchinson. Approximately 15 million babies are born preterm, according to a 2012 analysis published in Lancet. After an intensive discussion with the doctors, a plan was agreed to deliver Richard and then do all they could to sustain him. James Elgin Gill was born to Brenda and James Gill (both Canada), on 20 May 1987 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 128 days premature and weighing 624 g (1 lb 6 oz). Curtis Means and his twin CAsya had a less than 1 percent chance to survive after they were born to Michelle Chelly Butler at UAB Hospital in Birmingham on July 5, 2020. Baby . The law In certain US states, you can't call a baby a baby until 20 weeks gestation "Having this record is a blessing that he has accomplished and Im thankful that [Guinness World Records] accepted him.". I feel so blessed and honoured that I was the neonatologist on service the week Richard was born. On May 20, 1987, James Elgin Gill was born in Canad, at a gestational age of 21 weeks 5 days, or 128 days premature. That child, James Elgin Gill, previously held the world record that now belongs to. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? At Children & # x27 ; s Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis with James Elgin,... I would not have baby Sam now, BSN `` we made sure were. Discharged from the NICU was such a special day service the week Richard going... First birthday at home with his parents and other relations ; both and! Instilled in us all in at a mere 1 pound, 6 ounces and born. 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