World's most premature baby Curtis Zy-Keith born at 21 weeks sets Guinness Records

Curtis Zy-Keith Means, a 16-month-old baby weighing only 420 g at the time of birth has been named the world's most premature baby to survive, the Guinness World Records said on 10 November. The baby from Alabama, United States was born after his mother went into labour at only 21 weeks (4.8 months). Means was born on 5 July 2020 after his mother was taken to hospital for emergency surgery. 

The boy’s mother was taken to the University of Alabama at Birmingham from the local hospital. The medical team quickly responded to her and Curtis was born at an age of 21 weeks 1 day at around 1 pm on 5 July, as per the Guinness World Records press release. His original due date was 11 November, however, he was born 132 days premature on July 5, 2020, with a twin sister who did not survive. C’Asya Means did not respond to the treatment like her brother and died just a day after birth. 

World's most premature baby to survive

Michelle "Chelle" Butler told Guinness World Records that the medical team had informed that they don’t “normally keep babies at the age.” However, Curtis responded to the treatment and after 275 days (around 9 months) of being taken care of by the team at the  Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(RNICU) and Women and Infants Center. His mother further added that “he’s very active.” Curtis Zy-Keith Means was discharged from the hospital on 6 April 2021. 

Dr Colm Travers, assistant professor in the UAB Division of Neonatology, informed that when he first saw Curtis he was so tiny and he was surprised to see the baby alive at such a young age, as per the GWR press release. Dr Brian Sims, professor of Pediatrics at UAB Hospital, who was attending the twins, told GWR that the statistics show that children born so young have no chance of survival. He added that he responded to oxygen first and gave positive feedback to further treatment. 

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