my sister had a baby tonight?

Question

my sister had a heart transplant and the doctor told her the baby she was carrying would have to be born early so not to stress her heart out my sister had been getting pains all day and at 945 tonight she had a baby girl weighing 1pound and 2 ounces the doctor said my sisters baby has a small chance of survival because she was born at 23 weeks can anyone tell me the survival rate of a 23 week old baby?i am concerned for my sister and her baby

Answer 1

congratulations of the arrival of your little niece, I understand that it will be a worrying time for you all right now but there is every chance that your sister and her baby daughter will be fine. Hospitals have great special care units for babies and they will do all they an to help your niece, as hard as it is please try to be strong. I found this story on the internet and I think that it may give you some hope,

julia born at 23 weeks 1pound2ounces
juliasmom - 05:19pm Feb 24, 2006 EST

Wow i must say i truly believe in miracles!! On September 1st I went into labor only 23 weeks along in my pregnancy. I was very scared I thought I was going to loose my daughter I didn't know much about premature babies to make along story short i was told my little angel had a 30% chance of survival. she had surgery for a pda which led to a hole in her lung, so she had to have a chest tube, her little body just couldn't handle all the pressure and she almost left me just 3 days after she came to me, but i didn't leave her side and even though very sick she pulled through it. she was on a ventilator and wouldn't eat so she had to be fed through an iv she had jaundice. after 4 months of up and downs more downs then ups i went through depression and stayed away for 5 days then realized she is here now and needs me after that even worken full time i never missed a day finally the found a wall in her bowels that was causing her not to eat so she had to have another surgery to cut out half of her intestine which thank god solved the problem and the first week of January julia got to have milk in her little belly though fed through a tube she was put on the c pap for oxygen which she was on for only 2 weeks and switched to nasal canyala. And after 4 and a half months she graduated from the nicu and moved to intermediate!!! Then after a couple unsuccessful tries to get her home she wouldnt take being off morphine so finally after 3 times on February 2nd and drinking from a bottle and no need for oxygen but a whole lot of medicine my little baby came home weighing only 7 pounds 8 ounces a big difference from 1 pound 2 ounces! today she has been home for 22 days and weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces and i am so blessed she is here she is truly my idol i love her so much she had a will to come early and she has a will to survive and as strong as she is i know she will.. my heart and prayers go out to all the families of a premature baby, it is such a hard road but worth every second no matter what the ending maybe!!!!! God bless you all!!!

Best of luck,

Answer 2

Hi I found some information online I hope this helps... Don't be discoureged if this isn't what you wanted to hear because statistically a baby born at 23 weeks only has a 10 to 35% chance of survival...That may be true but honestly I also believe that weather or not this child survives depends on the hope and faith of the people around it show... U have to believe that nothing is going to happen and that the baby will survive... I'm sorry that the baby was born so early but keep the faith and I hope that your sisters baby pulls through and is strong and healthy I wish you all the best... good luck to you guys..



Common complications among preemies

In general, the closer to the due date that a baby is born, the better his or her chances are for being born healthy. Even a few days or weeks can make a huge difference: A baby born at 23 weeks has only a 10 to 35 percent chance of surviving and greater than 50 percent chance of a long-term disability. At just 25 weeks, survival improves to between 50 and 80 percent, and the chances of a long-term disability drop to between 15 and 25 percent. At 27 to 29 weeks, survival rates are above 90 percent, and disability rates fall to less than 10 percent. Between 34 and 37 weeks, survival rates are excellent (greater than 98 percent), and chances of long-term disability are slim -- less than 5 percent.



Certain complications are very common -- almost universal -- among preemies. These include sleep apnea (when breathing stops during sleep), trouble eating (because of weak and uncoordinated muscles), and jaundice (yellowish skin because the liver isn't working efficiently). Other common problems include abdominal hernias, acid reflux, breathing difficulties, abnormal blood sugar regulation, and heart development that remains incomplete.

Answer 3

I am so very sorry to hear about your sister and the baby. There's no honest to God answer that will make you feel any better, or mother any better on what has happened.
The most anyone will probably say is pray for the best. That's all really you can do right now. Talk with the doctor get as much information as you can, and be with your sister and family to support her as she goes through this. The doctors are doing what I am sure is the very best they can do for both mother and child.
I am sorry I don't have facts for you, or reasurrance that things will be fine for baby. It's hard for such a young baby to survive when it's lungs and other organs have not yet had their time to develope and get stronger, the body will probaly be very weak, and will stay that way for some time. But there is a good chance, there's always a good chance.
I have heard many many stories of premies slowly, very slowly getting better, but there's honestly just no way to come out and say yes, sure things will be fine. Cause you don't know.
There's those who do survive as such young ages, so there is that hope to hold on to.
But if there's a chance, any chance at all, hang on to that. It only takes one chance for something to prove it can make a mark in this world no matter how small or weak.
I'm very sorry for your sister, and I hope she recovers, and is able to see her baby. For both mother and baby I hope all the best of luck, even if a small time on the earth is what they have together I wish all the best. Be there for support, be there in anyway you can.
There's always that chance. Good luck.

Answer 4

my daughter was born at 24 weeks because i got toxemia. she was born weighing 1 lb 8 oz. your sisters baby has a good chance at survival. there are days whe she will be doing better than others health wise. doctors told me that my daughter had a small chance of survival as well but they cant promise the baby will live. my daughter spent the first 3 months of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit (nicu) today she is a healthy 6 year old girl, shes just a little smaller than the other 6 year olds. i'm not positive what the survival rate is, but she does have a very good chance. i wish u and your family the best of luck.

Answer 5

Advances in medical care have made it possible for many premature infants to survive and develop normally. However, whether or not a premature infant will survive is still intimately tied to his or her gestational age:



21 weeks or less: 0% survival rate

22 weeks: 0-10% survival rate

23 weeks: 10-35% survival rate

24 weeks: 40-70% survival rate

25 weeks: 50-80% survival rate

26 weeks: 80-90% survival rate

27 weeks: greater than 90% survival rate



Physicians cannot predict long-term complications of prematurity and some consequences may not become evident until the child is school--aged. Minor disabilities like learning problems, poor coordination, or short attention span may be the result of premature birth, but can be overcome with early intervention. The risks of serious long term complications depend on many factors including how premature the infant was at birth, weight at birth, and the presence or absence of breathing problems. The development of infection or the presence of a birth defect can also effect long term prognosis. Severe disabilities like brain damage, blindness, and chronic lung problems are possible and may require ongoing care.

Answer 6

What the doctors might do is give the baby steroids to help develop her lungs. There is still a chance for her. Though it's rare for an infant to survive being born so early, there have been babies who have indeed survived. The baby may have some health problems later on, but the first 48 hours will be crucial for her right now. She's probably in the NICU. They will kep a VERY close eye on her, help her breathe and give her fluids, probably through an IV. It's sad to see a baby hooked up to all those monitors, but think of it this way; if she wasn't attached to them, she wouldn't still be here, right? My daughter was hooked up to all of that when she was born. But after you get accustomed to seeing her like that, it'll be much easier to see it's what needs to be done for her.

I'm pulling for her to make it. It sounds like your sister's been through enough. I hope all works out for her and her partner and you and your families.

There's no real stats for a 23 week delivery that I could find for you. My brother's twins were early and they were taken to Sick Kids in Toronto. I don't know what your location is, but they might just send her to a children's hospital where there are doctors trained for dealing with such a young baby. I have heard of babies surviving such an early birth, so there is hope!

Answer 7

They will do all that can possibly be done for the baby, don't worry. Chances of survival in younger prems are getting better and better and many of them are real little fighters to boot!

One of my best friends was born at 24 weeks weighing just under 2 lbs with her hips round the wrong way so her legs faced backwards! Shes now 32 with a family of her own though shes always been a shortarse ;)

best of wishes to your sister and her babe xxx

Answer 8

Babies born this early can be quite strong and they can survive,but it all depends on the circumstamces and the babies health at present.Usually their lungs arnt developed enough or many other organs,but if the doctors knew your sisters baby was going to be born early they should have given her steroids to build the babies lungs up.My friend had a baby earlier than 23 weeks and she is a healthy 9 year old now.Good luck,I hope things do work out and that your sisters baby is soon strong enough to come home.

Answer 9

well 23 weeks is only half of what a normal term is but i think that its a pretty good because there has been 18-20 week babies that have survived. i say talk to the doctor and get all the facts so that you can be calmer. so i did some research and here are the results hope it could help

Answer 10

My nephew was born at 23 weeks aswell, and he is perfect in every way. Well apart from behaviour that is, he would wreck the house!
I know its a very worrying time but try and be strong for your sister and your family. Hopefully everything will work out well. All the best ! And congratulations on becoming an uncle !