World's Most Premature Baby Set to Leave Hospital

A premature baby only slightly longer than a ballpoint pen at birth was due to be sent home in the coming days from a US hospital after four months of neonatal intensive care, the hospital said on Tuesday.

The Baptist Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida, said Amillia Sonja Taylor was born at 21 weeks and six days on 24 October 2006, making her possibly the most premature baby on record to survive.

The claim was based on the University of Iowa's registry of the tiniest babies. The university bases its registry on media reports and medical journal reports and says it does not attempt to verify the information submitted by contributors.

Amillia weighed just under 283.5 grams (10 ounces) and measured 24.13 cm (9.5 inches) in length when she was born.

The tiny baby had been scheduled to go home on Tuesday but doctors "decided to keep her for a few more days observation", according to a hospital spokeswoman.

From NewScientist