Smallest baby in India nursed to health and discharged from Kochi hospital

Zaya who weighed 350 gms at birth has been nursed back to health and was discharged now weighing 1.5 kg.

Zoya and Zaya who were 400 g and 350 g respectively have been nursed back to health and discharged now weighing 2 kg and 1.5 kg respectively. (Photo | EPS)

KOCHI: The smallest baby ever reported in India -- as tiny as a palm and weighing 350 grams when born on December 12, 2019 -- was discharged from the Lourdes Hospital here.

Zaya was born as the second of twins to couple Thaneem and Zuwaina of Kodungalloor when Zuwaina was admitted with severe life-threatening pregnancy-induced hypertension during the sixth month of her pregnancy.

"Due to the anticipated complications like growth retardation and reduced blood flow to the fetuses, the babies were taken out through cesarean section under the supervision of Dr Divya Jose, consultant gynecologist, and Dr Shobha Philip, head of department, anesthesiology department," a release by Lourdes Hospital said.

Zoya, the first of the twins had a birth weight of 400 grams and little Zaya who was born second weighed 350 grams. "In view of several risk factors such as multiple pregnancy, growth retardation and extreme prematurity, taking care of these twins was not an easy task. Combining immature lung, brain, heart and gut were some of the hurdles faced by the treating doctors," said Dr Rojo Joy, the neonatologist of Lourdes Hospital. He said both babies had severe respiratory distress and were incubated, ventilated and admitted into NICU. "Babies were on the ventilator for 40 days till they could breathe on their own. Interventions for eye disease related to their premature birth was done by ophthalmologists from Giridhar Eye Hospital.

Lourdes Hospital director Fr Shaiju Thoppil said 'Baby Kashvi' who was 380 grams at birth now becomes the second smallest baby ever survived in India to date. The baby, who was also born at Lourdes Hospital last August, is living happily with her parents in north India.

Immense financial aid from social activities and celebrities through the Child Help Foundation helped the doctors in the fight. "Our neonatology team comprising Dr Rojo Joy, Dr Varghese Cherian, Dr Preethy Peter, Dr Hrishikesh, Dr Sr Julia, Dr Reynold, Dr Anjali, Dr Aysha and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology comprising Dr Praveena Elizabeth Joseph, Dr Divya Jose, Dr Binu Sebastian and NICU team headed by Sr Smitha worked tirelessly for four months and discharged the babies now weighing 2 kg and 1.5 kg respectively from the hospital," the release said.