Increadible! This Baby Goes Through a Great Struggle: Born at 23 Weeks of Pregnancy, Without a Heartbeat and Fighting Infections

Dr. Prem Tanwar, Keith and Maricel Madoginog (carrying Zedrick), Dr. Pooka Agrawal, Dr. Mais Ibrahim and Zachary ( Zedrick's brother, front) (Source: NMC Hospital)

JAKARTA - The struggle of baby Zedrick Madoginog will surely make people touched, after being born four months early, weighing only 500 grams and having to fight infection, before finally gaining weight and gradually improving his condition until he was finally allowed to go home from the hospital in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

His extraordinary resilience was celebrated as a small miracle by doctors and his parents, who had no idea this baby could survive due to its extremely premature birth.

How could it not be, Zedrick had to be resuscitated with the help of an instrument at birth, spent six weeks on a ventilator, battling infection, and having laser surgery on his eyes.

"This will be a trip I will never forget," said Zedrick's mother, Maricel Madoginog, who is originally from the Philippines and works for the Dubai Ambulance Service, as well as her husband Keith, reported The National News 16 July

"I have tears in my eyes every time I tell about the endless waiting, the unexpected future, finding new strength, and cherishing every moment that passes, when I see my son breathing and struggling to stay alive," Maricel said.

"It was a rollercoaster ride of series of intubations and extubations," he said.

It originates from an intrauterine infection which usually occurs when the fetal membranes, the placenta or the amniotic fluid that protects the unborn baby, become infected. This can pose a serious risk to both mother and baby if left untreated, due to bacteria entering the tissues around the fetus.

Symptoms include fever, discharge from the cervix and can cause an increase in heart rate in both mother and baby. Usually, this is treated with antibiotics. But in serious cases, it can cause brain damage or neurological problems in the mother.

The infant's septic marker tests improved significantly and the first blood culture grew group B streptococcal bacteria, confirming the infection.

"Coincidentally, in this case, the gestational age of the baby was uncertain due to the irregularity of the mother's menstrual cycle, making it difficult to determine the exact gestational age," explained Dr. Mais Ibrahim, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at the NMC Royal Hospital who handled this baby.

"Based on baby support and clinical requirements, her gestational age is aligned with 23 weeks," he continued.

"We had the option of transferring the baby to a local foundation but luckily our neonatologist accepted. We wanted to give the baby a chance with us."

"The baby's journey here has been a team effort and I have been following her development very closely. "The baby's parents are very nice and lovely people. They deserve every bit of happiness that comes their way."

When Zedrick was born, he weighed the equivalent of a loaf of bread, or a thick book. She was born without a heartbeat and not breathing, with her amniotic sac still intact, complicating the situation.

The bag was punctured, allowing medics to begin resuscitation efforts on the baby boy, before moving on to resuscitate his tiny heart.

Doctors then monitor for signs of cerebral palsy, a common condition in newborns that is deprived of oxygen at birth.

Fortunately, Zedrick is showing promising signs he will grow into a healthy baby, with his last three neurosonograms showing no abnormalities, thus raising hopes for normal development and development.

"Due to his extreme prematurity and low weight, Zedrick was on a ventilator for six grueling weeks," said Dr. Pooja Agrawal, neonatology specialist at the hospital.

"During this challenging time, she faced infection and anemia head-on, but her tiny body fought back with incredible resilience."

As his condition gradually improved, Zedrick underwent a complex laser procedure on his eye, which was done to protect his eyesight.

The more premature the baby, the lower the chance of survival, with very few babies born at 22 to 23 weeks' gestation surviving.

"When the baby arrived, we prayed, because of the poor survival rates at this stage of pregnancy - we just didn't know what was going to happen," said Dr. Agrawal.

"Generally, babies in this condition will die and we pray that this baby can recover," he said.

Despite the uncertainty over the exact gestational age, he is the lowest weight baby to ever be discharged from the NMC Royal Hospital in Sharjah.

"This is a moment of genuine joy for all the team members who have been there since he was born," he said.

"Zedrick made his parents happy and gave us hope too," said Dr. Agrawal.

Now, Zedrick can look forward to a brighter future after returning home with his parents, weighing around 2.035 kg.