Tiny US baby as small as pen!

Miami, Feb 21: A premature baby only slightly longer than aballpoint pen at birth was due to be sent home in the coming days froma Florida hospital after four months of neonatal intensive care, thehospital said.

The Baptist Children's Hospital in Miami yesterday said AmilliaSonja Taylor was born at 21 weeks and six days on October 24, makingher possibly the most premature baby on record to survive.

The claim was based on the University of Iowa's registry of thetiniest babies. The university bases its registry on media reports andmedical journal reports and says it does not attempt to verify theinformation submitted by contributors.

Amillia weighed just under 283.5 grams and measured 9.5 inches in length when she was born.

The tiny baby had been scheduled to go home yesterday but doctors''decided to keep her for a few more days observation,'' according to ahospital spokeswoman.

Conceived by in vitro fertilization, she was delivered viaCaesarean section after attempts to delay a premature delivery failed,the hospital said. She breathed without assistance at birth and eventried to cry.

''She's truly a miracle baby,'' said Dr. William Smalling, a neonatologist at Baptist Children's Hospital.

''We didn't even know what a normal blood pressure is for a babythis small,'' Smalling said in a statement issued by the hospital.

A full-term pregnancy is 37 to 40 weeks. Babies born at less than 23 weeks and 400 grams in weight are not considered viable.

Premature babies are also far more likely to suffer physical problems than are babies carried to term.

Reuters