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Miracle Baby: Born at 21 Weeks, Survives in Australia
7 Sep
Summary
- A baby girl was born in Australia at just 21 weeks and three days.
- She weighed less than a standard tin of soup at birth.
- Her survival marks a new Australian record for premature births.
An Australian mother, Annrose Tanuvasa, discovered her pregnancy just five days before giving birth to her daughter, Miracle, at 21 weeks and three days gestation. Miracle weighed 351 grams and measured 30.5 centimetres, officially becoming the most premature baby to survive in Australia. Tanuvasa was unaware of the pregnancy due to a prior miscarriage and only sought an ultrasound due to unexpected weight loss during a gym challenge.
Doctors found Tanuvasa was already in active labour, a shock given her recent miscarriage. Miracle's birth at such an early stage presented a significant medical challenge, as survival chances are typically very low. She was immediately admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, requiring breathing support and life-saving equipment.
Miracle spent 14 weeks in intensive care before moving to Logan Hospital's special care nursery. After more than four months in hospital, she was finally well enough to go home. Her survival is attributed to specialized neonatal care, pushing the boundaries of what is possible for extremely premature infants. Globally, Curtis Means born in the US at 21 weeks and one day in 2020 holds a similar record.
