A baby said by doctors to have been the most premature ever born will finally leave hospital today.
Amillia Taylor was delivered after less than 22 weeks in the womb, far less than a full 37 to 40-week pregnancy, and weighed just 10 ounces (284 grams). She was less than 10 inches long and medics gave her litte chance of survival.
Amillia, who was conceived by IVF, had trouble breathing and suffered a mild brain haemorrhage and digestive problems.
Her mother Sonja Taylor was not allowed to hold her for more than six weeks after she was born last October.
But her health has now improved after spending almost four months in an incubator and receiving oxygen at a neo-natal intensive care unit at Baptist Children’s Hospital in Florida, USA.
And today Amillia, which means resilient in Latin, is due to leave hospital for the first time and go home with her parents.
"We weren’t too optimistic, but she proved us all wrong," said Dr. William Smalling, who called her survival a "miracle".
"She’s going to be in a normal crib, she’s going to have normal feedings, she’s taking all her feedings from a bottle."
The University of Iowa, which keeps track of premature babies born around the world, believes she is the first baby ever to have survived after a gestation period of less than 23 weeks.
But Amillia still only weighs 4lb 60z (less than 2kg) and still needs extra oxygen and asthma medication.
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