In a remarkable achievement, doctors in Pune have successfully saved the life of a 23-week premature baby boy weighing only 550 grams at birth, and complications like breathing difficulties.
The baby, delivered after premature rupture of membranes at a private hospital in Kondhwa, required immediate life support. The NICU transport team, also known as “NICU on wheels”, retrieved the extremely premature newborn in a specialised neonatal ambulance.
After 100 days of care, the baby was discharged at 37 weeks, weighing 2.2 kgs, breastfeeding well, and showing a healthy developmental progress.
The couple, who were expecting their first child, and eagerly looking forward to parenthood had to face a challenge. They never imagined that their joyful journey would suddenly turn into fear and uncertainty.
One evening, the wife experienced unusual discomfort, and within hours, her water broke. Since she had no prior chronic illnesses, no thyroid or diabetes concerns, and her antenatal check-ups had been normal so far, she was in the low-risk pregnancy category. This unexpected complication came without any warning signs, adding to the shock and anxiety for the couple.
Terrified and in pain, the husband rushed her to a nearby private hospital. Upon evaluation, the obstetrics team confirmed that Rima had gone into extremely preterm labour at just 23 weeks of pregnancy. Her condition progressed rapidly, and the team performed a spontaneous vaginal delivery.
The baby boy was born weighing only 550 grams, requiring urgent and specialised neonatal intervention due to his extreme prematurity.
Recognising the critical condition of the newborn, the doctors immediately contacted Motherhood Hospital, Lullanagar in Pune. Within minutes, the specialised NICU on Wheels ambulance arrived to take care of the baby and mother. Led by Dr Prashant Laxmanrao Ramtekkar, consultant – Paediatrician & Neonatologist, at the hospital, the neonatal team carefully stabilised the micro-preemie, placed him on a ventilator, and transported him with the highest level of precision and monitoring.
Dr Prashant shared, “When we received the call, we knew this baby needed immediate and advanced support to survive. Babies born at 23 weeks and weighing under 600 grams fall into the micro-preemie category and face extremely high risks — including breathing failure, brain bleeding, infections, and feeding difficulties. Our NICU on Wheels team reached the hospital, stabilised and intubated the newborn, and transferred him safely. The first few hours were critical, but timely action made a tremendous difference in his survival.”
He added, “The baby had underdeveloped lungs, severe breathing difficulty, and required ventilator support from the first minute of life. We administered surfactant to help lung maturation and continued ventilation for seven days, after which he was shifted to non-invasive support like CPAP and HFNC. He also developed late-onset sepsis. This caused his blood to fail to clot properly, making the situation very critical. Treating such babies is extremely challenging because every organ is immature. We carefully managed fluids to prevent heart issues like PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) is a small blood vessel in a baby’s heart that normally closes soon after birth monitored brain scans, performed ROP screening, and ensured hearing development. Each milestone he achieved felt like a victory.”
“For extremely premature babies, nutrition is as important as breathing support. The baby was started on total parenteral nutrition and later transitioned to expressed mother’s milk through a feeding tube. Gradually, we increased feeds as he tolerated them. Kangaroo Mother Care was introduced early, which helped him gain stability, bond with his parents, and grow physically and emotionally. By the time of discharge, he was breastfeeding well, gaining weight, and all his screenings for brain, eyes, and hearing were normal. The baby was discharged at 37 weeks of life, weighing 2.2 kgs, and was accepting breastfeeding well. The total NICU stay was 100 days. This shows a promising long-term outcome. We have advised regular follow-ups to monitor his growth and development”, highlighted Dr Ramtekkar.
India records one of the highest burdens of prematurity in the world, with about 13 per cent of babies born preterm and over 3 million preterm births in 2020 alone. These newborns are extremely vulnerable and require immediate, specialized care to survive and thrive. That’s why timely intervention, skilled neonatal support, and a fully equipped hospital with advanced NICU systems are essential. With the right expertise and rapid response, even the tiniest babies get a real chance at life.
“When I saw my baby for the first time, just 550 grams, my heart just sank. Every day in the NICU was an emotional rollercoaster, where even the smallest milestone felt like a big victory. I held on to hope each time he opened his eyes and breathed a little better. The team of doctors and nurses at Motherhood Lullanagar became our biggest strength through the toughest days. Today, watching him breastfeed and grow feels like witnessing a miracle, and I am grateful to the entire team for giving my son his chance at life,” the mother concluded.
