Navi Mumbai: In a truly inspiring story of survival, an extremely preterm baby weighing only 800 grams and born at 28 weeks of gestation has made a remarkable recovery after spending 7 weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Medicover Hospital, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.
The baby battled severe respiratory distress syndrome, late-onset sepsis, apnea of prematurity, anemia, metabolic bone disease, and early bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
The complex case was managed under the care of Dr Tanmesh Kumar Sahu, Consultant Neonatologist and NICU In-charge, Medicover Hospital, with the support of a dedicated multidisciplinary team.Today, the baby is breathing independently, feeding well, and achieving expected developmental milestones.
A 41-year-old resident of Kharghar delivered a premature baby boy on August 14th, 2025, after a long and high-risk pregnancy complicated by severe preeclampsia and a previous cesarean section. At just 28 weeks and 1 day, the baby came into the world far too soon — fragile, silent, and struggling for life.
There were no breathing efforts, and his tiny body lay limp as doctors rushed to resuscitate him. With a heart rate below 100 beats per minute and blood tests showing severe respiratory acidosis, every second became a battle for survival. He was immediately intubated and placed on a ventilator as the NICU team fought tirelessly to help him take his first real breath, a moment that marked the beginning of a long, courageous fight for life.
Dr Tanmesh Kumar Sahu, Consultant Neonatologist and NICU In-charge, Medicover Hospital, said, “Within hours, the newborn was diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), a common but serious condition in premature infants due to immature lungs.
The baby was given surfactant therapy, a medication directly administered into the lungs to help them expand and improve oxygen exchange. Owing to the baby’s premature lungs, respiratory support was initially provided through invasive ventilation, later shifted to non-invasive support with minimal settings.
Despite these measures, the baby showed early signs of chronic lung disease and faced difficulty transitioning from assisted breathing to room air. Therefore, as per clinical evidence, steroid therapy (DART regimen) was initiated for 10 days."
Dr Tanmesh Kumar Sahu further added, “During his NICU stay, the baby also developed late-onset sepsis and was treated with advanced antibiotics. He required multiple blood transfusions for anemia of prematurity and was carefully monitored for metabolic bone disease, jaundice, and feeding challenges.
Nutritional care began with Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) and gradually progressed to fortified breast milk feeds. We introduced Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on the third day, which played a key role in the baby’s developmental and emotional recovery. Over time, the baby was weaned off oxygen by day 42 and transitioned fully to oral feeding by day 45, a milestone that marked the beginning of his steady journey toward recovery.
By the 9th day of treatment, the baby was completely off respiratory support and was successfully discharged on 1st October 2025. His condition was stable; he was breathing on his own, feeding well, and maintaining good weight gain. Regular follow-ups will ensure continued monitoring of growth, bone health, and development.
Managing an extremely preterm baby weighing just 800 grams is a huge challenge, as every hour counts and every intervention must be precise. The focus was on preventing infections, ensuring optimal nutrition, and supporting the baby’s growth step by step. Prompt care, ethical decision-making, and parental involvement were at the heart of this success.”
“We were terrified when our baby was born so tiny and weak, we didn’t even know if he would survive. Seeing him connected to machines and struggling to breathe was the hardest thing any parent can go through.
But the doctors and nurses at Medicover never gave up. They not only saved our baby but guided us with love and care every step of the way. Today, when we hold him and see him feeding and smiling, it feels like a blessing we will never forget,” said the baby’s mother