Born in 21 weeks, Iowa Baby holds the world record most prematurely
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The Iowa family recently celebrated a huge milestone for a very special baby.
Molly and Randall Keene welcomed their son, Nash Keene, on July 5, 2024. He was born 133 days early, 21 weeks pregnant.
The Guinness World Records officially recognizes Nash as a world thing The most untrained baby To survive.
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Earlier this month, Nash turned affectionately nicknamed “Nash Potato” and turned to all odds.
When he was born at Stead Family Children’s Hospital, University of Iowa Healthcare, Nash weighed only 285 grams (10 ounces) (less than grapefruit) at birth, measuring 24 centimeters in length, according to a press release from the hospital.
Nash Keene is portrayed as a month old, along with her mother, Molly Keene. He was born 133 days early, 21 weeks pregnant. (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
Two years before Nash’s premature birth, Keenes lost her baby girl, McKinley, at 18 weeks of pregnancy.
At the time, Mollie Keen was diagnosed with An Incompetent cervix,This was when the lower cervix opened early (diffuses) and normally dilated (diffuses) too early in the second phase, and the release was shared.
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She also suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that can cause birth difficulties.
Six months after their loss, Keynes discovers another baby is on the way.
Nash Keen is depicted at 2 weeks of age (left) and 11 months of age (right). (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
“When I went to my local PhD for a 20-week scan for Nash, I had some concerns about how I felt, so I asked them to take a closer look at me – they don’t usually have that appointment – and they realized I had already expanded by 2 centimeters,” Molly Keene said.
A few days later, she began to contract and was placed in bed rest.
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“We were devastated,” she said. “We thought we were going through the exact same thing. We were thinking we were losing this baby.”
Stead Family Children’s Hospital’s Medical Team Intensive care room for newborns (NICU) provides life-saving care for babies born after the 21st week of pregnancy.
Nash Keen is depicted in 3 weeks (left) and 14 weeks (right). The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) medical team at Stead Family Children’s Hospital provides life-saving care to babies born after the 21st week of pregnancy. (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
Luckily, Molly’s care team was able to delay work until just 10 hours after Nash surpassed the 21-week mark.
“We want the best ones for our patients, so we really try to tell them we don’t know what the outcome of these very premature births will be,” said Dr. Malinda Schaefer, a high-risk obstetrician who gave birth to Nash.
Nash Keen is depicted at 4 weeks of age along with her mother, Mollie Keen (left) and 7 weeks of age (right). (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
“It’s important for parents to understand most. Survival rate Low and if the baby survives, even at 22 weeks there is a very high risk of long-term complications. ”
According to the release, the team quickly provided Nash with medication to support his organ development and reduce the risk of complications.
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“Baby born in 21 weeks can be too small for our smallest breathing tubes or even our intravenous strain,” said Amy Stanford, a neonatologist who treated Nash. “Our NICU team appreciated Nash, and I Breathing tube. Once he put in the breathing tube, his heart rate was stable and his oxygen levels were good. ”
Still, Nash’s chances were slim. Because none of the young babies survived.
Before Nash’s birth, according to Guinness World Records, Curtis Zay Keith Means, born to Michelle Butler at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital on July 5, 2020, survived. He was born at 21 weeks and one day of gestational age. This was 132 days ago.
Nash Keene is portrayed with parents Molly and Randall Keene at the University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital on June 4, 2025. Nash was born in July 2024 as an early baby born 21 weeks of 0 days of pregnancy. (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
“We never want to lose hope, but many of them are in unrealistic circumstances so we have to be very honest with them,” said Dr. Patrick McNamara, director of Neonatology at Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
“I told his parents, ‘There’s zero chance, but I hope I’m wrong, and we’ll do everything we can to help him.”
“I want him to see his story as a source of strength.”
Stanford said around the month’s mark that the team “started breathing a little easier.”
“I knew Nash was still on a long journey, but that was the point where he began to feel confident that he had a real chance to go home.”
“It was a subtle but powerful change – from daily survival Long-term hope. ”
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Nash received ongoing care during his 198 days at the hospital. The team monitors the function of the heart, Brain health.
In addition to many medication administration, he also underwent surgery on the perforated intestine, with a mortality rate of up to 40%.
After more than six months at the hospital, Nash Keene was finally released from the NICU in January 2025. He survives with very minimal complications, and is thriving with his home. (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
“They added to it every step of the way. They really gave him a chance to fight,” Randall Keene said. “They were really honest with us on their journey about what his opportunities looked like. They made sure we were well-informed and we kept involved in all our decisions.”
After more than six months in the hospital, Nash was finally able to return home in January 2025.
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He will continue to be monitored for ongoing health issues, including minors Heart defectsand is currently weaning from oxygen. Nash is still on the feeding tube and wears hearing aids.
According to his mother, he had some developmental delays, but with the help of ongoing treatment sessions, Nash is interacting stronger and stronger.
Claire Goeke DNP, a nurse practitioner at the NICU follow-up clinic, will evaluate Nash Keene on June 4, 2025 at the University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital Pediatric Medicine Clinic. (University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital)
Stanford shared Nash’s ultimate goal. “When he goes to kindergarten, no one knows that by the time he is five he was born that early.”
“Nash’s incredible results are reflected The progress we made By building on the experiences of patients who came before him,” she added.
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Mollie Keen wanted Nash to know how much he is loved.
“I want him to grow up and be healthy, happy and confident in who he is. I want him to see his story as a source of strength.”