Here at Maternity Matters, we love reporting good news and this week sees Frieda Mangold, the world’s most premature baby, born at just 21 weeks and 5 days, at home with her parents after spending five months growing and gaining strength in the neonatal unit at Fulda Children’s Hospital in Germany.
At birth, Frieda weighed just 1lb and measured 11 inches. She was allowed to leave last Wednesday weighing an altogether more robust 7lb 11oz and measuring nearly 20 inches.
As is to be expected though, this happy event could not just be taken at face value, and now many pro-life groups are jumping on the Mangold’s good news, and using it as evidence to further their pro-life cause. According to the article “Women can currently terminate a pregnancy during the first 24 weeks. Doctors at many hospitals leave babies born at 23 weeks or earlier to die as only nine out of 100 such babies survive. Many that do survive are left with severe disabilities. Babies born before 22 weeks are thought to have almost no chance of surviving because their lungs, heart and brain are not sufficiently developed.”
Doctors have branded Freida a medical miracle and are confident that she will develop totally normally and with no complications.
Sadly, Frieda’s twin brother Killian did not survive, passing away after a six week battle with heart and intestinal problems. Our thoughts are with the Mangolds at this time, and we sincerely hope they’re able to treasure and enjoyevery second with their precious little girl.
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