Born after just 22 weeks of pregnancy in the month of May and weighing only 610 gm, four-month-old Nirvaan is all set to be discharged from hospital as a healthy baby weighing 3.7 kg
Nirvaan in the incubator when he was born, and (right) at the time of discharge
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There's only one word to accurately describe four-month-old Nirvaan - fighter. Born after just 22 weeks of pregnancy in the month of May and weighing only 610 gm, he is all set to be discharged from hospital as a healthy baby weighing 3.7 kg.
Doctors with Nirvaan at Surya Hospital
The boy is being called a miracle baby after the fight for his life for four months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Surya Hospital in Santacruz. He has a normal brain, vision, hearing and potential for long-term neurological development.
The hospital authorities said when it comes to 22 week-old premature infants, 50 per cent of them are still born worldwide, and among those born alive, less than 5 per cent continue to survive while only 1 per cent survive with normal neuro-developmental outcome.
Doctors' say
Nirvaan is the first baby of Mumbai-based Retika and Vishal. According to the hospital, he is the tiniest baby born in Mumbai. He was born on May 12, during the 22nd week of pregnancy. Dr Bhupendra Avasthi, Director of Surya Child Care said, "He required respiratory support for 12 weeks which included 6 weeks of ventilator support. Multiple doses of surfactant injections were let into the breathing tube to expand his lungs. He survived life-threatening events such as Pneumothorax (air accumulation around the lungs) and brain bleeds. A month-long steroid treatment was needed to help him breathe on his own."
Dr Hari Balasubramanian, neonatologist, said, "To our knowledge, there is no report of a surviving 22-week old newborn in our country. Nirvaan's story highlights the fact that periviable infants born in developing countries not only have a chance, but can also live a normal life."
'I was confident'
"Nirvaan means ultimate bliss and that is what we feel, after he came into our lives. There came a point when I discussed with my wife whether we should let it go, when his chest was punctured for the third time. But after that he started showing remarkable development and we are very happy to take him home," said the child's father, who is a businessman.
His mother said she was positive through all the months. "I was confident that my baby will be just fine. I was allowed to go inside NICU and could touch him. He would hold on to my finger," said his mother.
610 gm
Nirvaan's weight at birth
3.7 kg
His weight at the time of discharge
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