James Elgin Gill (born on 20 May 1987 in
Ottawa,
Canada) was the earliest premature baby in the world. He was 128 days premature
(21 weeks and 5 days gestation) and weighed 1 pound 6 ounces (624 g). He survived and is quite healthy.
[90][91]
Amillia Taylor is also often cited as the most-premature baby.
[92] She was born on 24 October 2006 in
Miami,
Florida, at 21 weeks and 6 days gestation.
[93] This report has created some confusion as her gestation was measured from the date of conception (through in-vitro fertilization) rather than the date of her mother's last menstrual period making her appear 2 weeks younger than if gestation was calculated by the more common method.
[81] At birth, she was 9 inches (22.86 cm) long and weighed 10 ounces (283 grams).
[92] She suffered
digestive and
respiratory problems, together with a
brain hemorrhage. She was discharged from the Baptist Children's Hospital on 20 February 2007.
[92]
The record for the smallest premature baby to survive was held for some time by Madeline Mann, who was born at 26 weeks weighing 9.9 oz (280 g) and 9.5 inches (24.13 cm) long.
[94] This record was broken in September 2004 by Rumaisa Rahman, who was born in the same hospital
[95] at 25 weeks gestation. At birth, she was eight inches (20 cm) long and weighed 244
grams (8.6
ounces). Her twin sister was also a small baby, weighing 563 grams (1 pound 4 ounces) at birth. During
pregnancy their mother had suffered from
pre-eclampsia, which causes dangerously high
blood pressure putting the baby into distress and requiring birth by
caesarean section. The larger twin left the hospital at the end of December, while the smaller remained there until 10 February 2005 by which time her weight had increased to 1.18 kg (2.6 lb).
[96] Generally healthy, the twins had to undergo
laser eye surgery to correct vision problems, a common occurrence among premature babies.
The
autistic savant Derek Paravicini was born at 25 weeks. The
oxygen therapy given during his time in a
neonatal intensive care unit rendered him blind and affected his developing brain, resulting in his severe
learning disability. Furthermore Paravicini developed autism. However, he also has
absolute pitch and his musical abilities developed to genius levels.
The world's smallest premature boy to survive was born in February 2009 at
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jonathon Whitehill was born at 25 weeks gestation with a weight of 310 grams (10.9 ounces). He was hospitalized in the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for five months, and then discharged.
[97]
Historical figures who were born prematurely include
Johannes Kepler (born in 1571 at 7 months gestation),
Isaac Newton (born in 1643, small enough to fit into a
quart mug, according to his
mother),
Winston Churchill (born in 1874 at 7 months gestation), and
Anna Pavlova (born in 1885 at 7 months gestation).
[98]
