Smallest Surviving Preemie Will Go Home Soon

When Rumaisa Rahman was born at Loyola University Medical Center in September, she weighed less than a can of soda and fit into the palm of her father’s hand. A mere 8.6 ounces, she was believed to be the world’s smallest surviving premature baby.

Now, after more than three months in the hospital, Rumaisa is 2 pounds, 10 ounces -- big enough and healthy enough to go home soon, doctors said at a news conference Tuesday.

Her original due date was Christmas Day.

“When they’re that premature, the survival rate is around 50%,” said Dr. Jonathan K. Muraskas, a professor of pediatrics and neonatal-perinatal medicine who has been caring for Rumaisa and her twin sister, Hiba. “We’re all just really lucky they’ve both made it through this and are doing so well.”

During pregnancy, their mother, 23-year-old Mahajabeen Shaik, developed medical problems, including pre-eclampsia -- or high blood pressure. That began to erode Shaik’s liver functions and cut off nutrients to the twins, Murasakas said.

Shaik underwent a caesarean section when the twins were just shy of 26 weeks gestation. Any later, Muraskas said, and the damage done to both mother and babies could have been severe.

Shaik said Tuesday that she and her husband, 32-year-old Mohammed Abdul Rahman, were terrified they would lose both children.

“I was so nervous because I didn’t know what to expect,” Shaik said.

“I was crying because they were both so small.”

Hiba -- who is expected to go home by Christmas -- weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces at birth. She’s now 5 pounds.

Both girls were so small and delicate, doctors said, that every day became a waiting game.

Officials said the hospital in suburban Maywood has handled the births of numerous premature infants, including more than 1,700 who weighed less than 2 pounds.

Doctors here also cared for the previous record holder in 1989. Madeline Mann, who weighed 1.3 ounces more than Rumaisa, was 27 weeks old when she was born. Now, she is a relatively healthy 15-year-old high school student and lives in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates.

“Madeline is a miracle child,” Muraskas said. “We can hope that Rumaisa and Hiba do as well.”

Taking care of the tiny newborns has been expensive, hospital officials said.

On average, it costs $5,000 a day to care for a premature baby. Some of the bills will be paid by Medicaid, staff members said.

The hospital and friends of the family have helped to set up a bank account to handle donations.During their time at the hospital, Rumaisa and Hiba have had laser surgery to correct vision problems. Both spent weeks in incubators, hooked up to IVs.

At one point, Rumaisa had a soft breathing tube to help her underdeveloped lungs get air. She continues to use some oxygen to aid her breathing, doctors said.

Tests have shown that neither child has had bleeding in the brain, which is a somewhat common problem for premature infants that can lead to cerebral palsy.

By the time Rumaisa goes home in early January, she is expected to be breathing entirely on her own. However, she will still be tiny: less than 3 pounds.

“After that, all we can do is wait and see how she does,” Muraskas said.