A baby boy unexpectedly born three months early and weighing just 3lb 5oz at birth had to be airlifted to hospital.
Kayce was unexpectedly born 84 days ahead of his due date and was swiftly airlifted to the hospital for specialist care. He required medical attention including breathing support, intravenous (IV) antibiotics to counter sepsis, and nutrition through an IV and an oral gastric feeding tube.
His parents, Blaire and Kian Cook, have left their home to stay with their son in near the hospital. The family expects to stay there for two to three months following their son’s birth before hopefully being transferred to a hospital closer to home.
So far baby Kayce has been making good progress
Kayce recently stopped requiring IV antibiotics a few days after birth and he has been able to self-correct episodes of low heart rate. His grandparents have also been able to meet him for the first time.
A family friend shared “Grandma and grandpa also got to meet their grandson yesterday for the first time and aunty Brooke has been hanging out for some much needed support for both mom and dad. Baby Kayce is so loved!”.
Outcomes for premature babies are improving constantly
Improvements in medical treatment have meant that premature babies like Kayce are increasingly surviving from even younger ages. In the decade to 2019 alone, the survival rate for extremely premature babies born at 23 weeks doubled, prompting new guidance from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) that enables doctors to intervene to save premature babies from 22 weeks gestation. The previous clinical guidance, drafted in 2008, set the standard that babies who were born before 23 weeks gestation should not be resuscitated.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “It is amazing to hear that baby Kayce is doing so well and is improving every day. We wish him and his family all the best in the upcoming months of treatment. The evidence from cases of premature babies surviving with the help of medical expertise should demonstrate to legislators the need to reconsider our current abortion limits”.
