330-gram premature Chinese baby defies the odds to reach 2.5kg in 105 days, heads home

A premature baby boy, weighing a mere 330 grams upon birth, has made an inspiring recovery at a hospital in southern China. Born on May 20 to a mother suffering from chronic hypertension and pre-eclampsia, the infant—nicknamed Little Zebao—was the lightest premature baby in Guangdong province. His skin was as delicate as a cicada’s wing, with visible blood vessels beneath the surface, while his feet were smaller than an adult’s thumb.

Upon arrival at the Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Little Zebao was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit due to his underdeveloped immune system and extremely thin intestinal tract. Doctors acknowledged the daunting odds they faced, but with meticulous preparation and rapid action, they managed to nurture the infant back to health. Within 105 days, the baby had doubled his weight to 2.5kg and was discharged from the hospital in excellent health.

Dr. Huang Zhifeng, a senior doctor at the hospital, expressed profound gratitude for the successful outcome, stating that the team's collective efforts had triumphed over the numerous challenges the baby faced. Internet users praised the medical staff’s compassion and hailed the incident as a medical miracle. This case isn’t the first time the hospital has saved an extremely premature infant; in 2023, they delivered another baby at 21 weeks and four days gestation, who spent 143 days in care before being discharged, setting a record for the youngest premature baby saved in China.