An infant born in San Diego, California holds the title of the world’s smallest surviving baby at 8.6 ounces or 245 grams.
The newborn title holder is known as baby Saybie (not her actual name). She weighs 7 grams less than the previous title holder who was born in Germany back in 2015.
Baby Saybie was delivered in December through cesarean section at the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns. She was born prematurely at 23 weeks. This was three months earlier than the due date.
The preemie baby is registered in the University of Iowa’s Tiniest Babies Registry. The reason why she’s so small is a pregnancy complication called preeclampsia. This was also the reason why she was delivered three months before completing the average pregnancy term. Her parents prepared for the worst as they were told of the possibility that she might not survive her first day.
Preeclampsia involves abnormally high blood pressure that can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby she is carrying.
Saybie has been confined in the hospital since her birth and was discharged only this month. She already weighed 5.6 pounds at the time, according to an announcement the hospital made on Wednesday.
Nurse Devyn Kohl, one of the nurses who cared for baby Saybie was emotional when the child was finally able to go home. In an interview with NBC News, the nurse said, “I’m just really proud of them and the baby, and to just see them transform as parents and see this little baby go home that usually is like completely against all odds”.