BANGALORE: A baby weighing just 470 gram at the time of birth about three months ago, was saved due to the undivided attention from nurses, extra care from a team of specialists and cooperation from the parents.
Doctors say a healthy newborn weighs around three kg at birth. Less than 2.5 kg is categorised as low birth weight and under 1 kg as extremely low birth weight.
The baby girl was born three months premature on May 15 and now weighs two kg. Doctors at Manipal Hospital, where the child was taken care of in their Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, consider this ‘phenomenal’.
Dr Rizwan Iqbal, a gynaecologist at Meenakshi Nursing Home, delivered the girl and rushed her to Manipal hospital for neonatal care.
Initially, she had breathing trouble due to immature lungs and her delicate skin made maintaining body temperature difficult.
She was fed through a pipe and she also suffered from infections and low blood sugar levels.
Dr Praveen Venkatgiri, Neonatologist at Manipal Hospital, said with premature children, it is important to ensure adequate oxygen and nutrition levels and warmth is maintained.
“We are cautiously optimistic that there will be no complications in the future. However, she will need to have close monitoring till she is two years old,” he added.