The Daily Mail (UK) reported yesterday about a set of identical twins born eleven weeks prematurely.
Here is one pair of twin brothers that few will have any difficulty telling apart.
For although Byron and Lincoln Ryman were born within a minute of each other, firstborn Byron - at 3lb 6oz a small baby himself - was precisely three times bigger than his sibling.
Eleven weeks premature, both boys were given a slim chance of survival - particularly Lincoln, weighing only 1lb 2oz at birth.
But yesterday the pair, now just over five weeks old, were doing well, thanks to the dedicated staff at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney.
Neo-natalist Dr Parag Mishra said Mrs Ryman was induced to give birth at 29 weeks because it was seen as giving the babies the best chance of survival after complications arose.
"Nicole was 15 weeks along when the medical staff detected twin-to-twin transfusion, a type of problem that occurs sometimes with twin babies when blood flows from one twin to another.
"Lincoln's chances of survival, I considered, were less than 30 per cent because he was so small."
But after their birth, both brothers showed an "exceptional will to live," said Dr Mishra.
That diaper on Lincoln has to be the smallest they can get, and it's nearly as big as he is.
I can't get over what neonatologists are able to do these days. Two pounds used to be the lower limit of the babies who could be saved. Now it's down to almost a pound. Amazing.
2 comments:
It is absolutely amazing what can be done to save preemies today. A fellow blogger that I visit had triplets born around 25 weeks, all about the size of the smallest twin in your story. One had genetic problems that caused his death just after birth, but the other two are doing great 7 months or so later. They were so small at birth that the dad's wedding band fit on their ARMS.
These two little boys are lucky that they are getting such good care. So many women today don't realize how much can be done when all hope seems lost, and unfortunately feminist groups don't encourage learning that kind of information either.
I think Lincoln had better watch his dinner plate in the future. His brother is likely to snag food off his plate like he "did" in the womb.
Pretty amazing.
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