A baby girl, born at 22 weeks and 5 days on World Prematurity Day, defies odds as the youngest ever surviving baby to be born at a hospital in the UAE.
Baby Talia was born weighing only 400g in November. Her birth was so sudden that Talia was still in her amniotic sac when she was born, and her skin was very thin and transparent. Despite her incredibly small size, the medical team immediately started life-saving care, including advanced breathing support and intubation.
As is common with extremely premature babies, it was not smooth sailing once baby Talia was out of the womb, and shortly after birth, she required strong antibiotics. In the first few days of Talia’s life, there was concern about potential brain injury due to infection and Talia’s extreme prematurity.
Home after 129 days in intensive care
Baby Talia’s doctor, Dr Maria Theresa Reyes, said that this case pushed the medical team past their current experience. “We have had several 23‑week infants weighing around 500 grams with excellent outcomes”, explained Dr Reyes, but “Talia is our first 22‑week infant, weighing just 400 grams. She is the smallest 22‑weeker ever reported in the UAE”.
Talia’s condition continued to stabilise, as small amounts of breast milk helped her grow and build immunity. Now, after over 4 months in intensive care, baby Talia was finally able to go home to her family. Weighing 2.6kg at the time of her discharge from hospital, doctors found no concerns for long-term health complications.
Her mother, Jade, shared that “our little warrior, Talia, has shown us what strength, courage, and faith really mean”. She further explained that “we spent four months by her side in the NICU, holding on to hope through every moment. We learned how to love through wires, alarms, and uncertainty. How to smile while our hearts were breaking”. Jade said that “the NICU changed us completely”, and that Talia’s family would “always be grateful to the team who stood with us through it all”.
King’s College London Hospital in Dubai has achieved a NICU survival rate of 99.3%, and Baby Talia’s case marks a milestone for neonatal medicine in the UAE, highlighting the growing capabilities of advanced neonatal intensive care.
Spokesperson for Right to Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Baby Talia’s case is a testament to the strength and courage of so many premature babies. We hope she has a safe return home and that she will continue to grow and be a beacon of hope to her family”.
