World's most premature baby born at 21 weeks defies odds to reach first birthday
MIRACLE TOT World's most premature baby born at 21 weeks defies odds to reach first birthday
THE world's most premature baby has celebrated his first birthday after being born at 21 weeks.
Nash Keen arrived 133 days early and is the Guinness World Records holder.
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Nash Keen, the world's most premature baby has celebrated his first birthday
Credit: Guinness World Records/Triangle News
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Nash Keen (pictured with mum Mollie) arrived 133 days early and is the Guinness World Records holder
Credit: Guinness World Records
He was born on July 5, 2024, weighing 285g.
After six months in hospital, he now uses an oxygen tube.
Mum Mollie, from Ankeny, Iowa, US, said: 'This milestone isn't just about turning one, it's about resilience, hope, and everything he's overcome to get here,' said Mollie.
'We're incredibly grateful to the doctors, nurses, and supporters who helped us reach this day.'
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Nash's story has touched hearts across the country.
'We never set out to be in the spotlight, that's just not us,' Mollie admitted. "But sharing Nash's story felt important.
'We wanted to give hope to other families walking hard medical roads and to show what's possible even in the most uncertain circumstances.
'The attention has always come from a place of love and support, and for that, we're incredibly grateful.'
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Dad Randall added: 'If there's ever anyone in this world that deserves to be a mother, it's Mollie.
'He's a world record holder and we're so thrilled he achieved that because that means he made it.
Mum refused to say baby's name in case she died after premature birth
'He made his journey and he's surviving and thriving.
"We're very proud of him.'
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The Guardian
26-07-2025
- The Guardian
World's most premature baby celebrates first birthday
An Iowa toddler who was born when his mother was less than five months pregnant isn't only the most premature baby recognized by Guinness World Records after recently turning one. As his mother, Mollie Keen, put it, Nash Keen is also 'very determined, curious … and he's just all smiles all the time' after surviving against what Guinness described as 'phenomenal odds'. 'Nash is going to be able to … say, 'You know what? I came into this world fighting,'' the boy's father, Randall Keen, said in an interview that Guinness published on Wednesday. ''And I'm going to leave fighting.'' The organization's database of about 40,000 records has long inspired fascination from the public. And Nash's path to that database began on 5 July 2024, when he was born at the gestational age of exactly 21 weeks at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's hospital in Iowa City. Nash's birth came 133 days ahead of Mollie's expected due date, based on a typical full-term pregnancy of 280 days, an article on said. His birth was the second time in less than two years that Mollie had given birth prematurely. She recounted how she and Randall lost their daughter, McKinley, after she was born at a gestational age of nearly 18 weeks. After the couple became pregnant with Nash, 'we were so excited, but also very nervous', Mollie said. 'We didn't get our hopes up.' Nash weighed only 10 ounces (283 grams), which is about the size of a soap bar, when he was born. He had to spend the next six months in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before he was allowed to go home in January to Ankeny, Iowa. Mollie recalled to Guinness that she and Randall 'weren't sure if he'd even survive those first critical hours. But we wanted to give him the best chance.' The baby underwent 'highly specialized care, constant surveillance and frequent monitoring' while he faced a series of substantial 'challenges early on', Dr Amy Stanford – a neonatologist who helped care for Nash – told Guinness. Yet 'he showed remarkable resilience', Stanford added. 'After those first few extremely delicate weeks, he began to make steady progress, which was truly extraordinary to witness.' As the Associated Press noted, Nash's story illustrates the growing number of extremely premature infants who are receiving life-saving treatment and surviving. Nash emerged from his NICU stay with as good an outcome as could be hoped for by medical science, as his doctors see it. At just over a year old, Nash still required oxygen to help him breathe, and he was nourished exclusively through a feeding tube. His parents had been preparing for him to try pureed foods. Nash's doctors were optimistic that a minor heart defect would resolve itself as he grew up. And he was not quite yet crawling, though he had started rolling over. None of those developmental realities had barred him from demonstrating his budding personality, Randall told Guinness. 'Whenever you call him 'Nash potato', or you cheer him on when he's trying to pull himself up … he just hams it up,' Randall said. 'It makes him want to succeed and do more.' A small gathering of close friends joined Nash and his family to celebrate his first birthday. He was feted with new outfits, educational toys, diapers and the certificate from Guinness – now that he had beaten out by a single day the organization's previous most premature baby record holder, who was born in 2020 in Alabama. Mollie told Guinness she and Randall are as happy as Nash has been. 'I love waking up to him,' she remarked. 'He's truly … the best thing that could have happened to us.' The Associated Press contributed reporting
Scottish Sun
24-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
World's most premature baby born at 21 weeks defies odds to reach first birthday
After six months in hospital, Nash now uses an oxygen tube MIRACLE TOT World's most premature baby born at 21 weeks defies odds to reach first birthday THE world's most premature baby has celebrated his first birthday after being born at 21 weeks. Nash Keen arrived 133 days early and is the Guinness World Records holder. Advertisement 3 Nash Keen, the world's most premature baby has celebrated his first birthday Credit: Guinness World Records/Triangle News 3 Nash Keen (pictured with mum Mollie) arrived 133 days early and is the Guinness World Records holder Credit: Guinness World Records He was born on July 5, 2024, weighing 285g. After six months in hospital, he now uses an oxygen tube. Mum Mollie, from Ankeny, Iowa, US, said: 'This milestone isn't just about turning one, it's about resilience, hope, and everything he's overcome to get here,' said Mollie. 'We're incredibly grateful to the doctors, nurses, and supporters who helped us reach this day.' Advertisement Nash's story has touched hearts across the country. 'We never set out to be in the spotlight, that's just not us,' Mollie admitted. "But sharing Nash's story felt important. 'We wanted to give hope to other families walking hard medical roads and to show what's possible even in the most uncertain circumstances. 'The attention has always come from a place of love and support, and for that, we're incredibly grateful.' Advertisement Dad Randall added: 'If there's ever anyone in this world that deserves to be a mother, it's Mollie. 'He's a world record holder and we're so thrilled he achieved that because that means he made it. Mum refused to say baby's name in case she died after premature birth 'He made his journey and he's surviving and thriving. "We're very proud of him.' Advertisement
The Sun
24-07-2025
- The Sun
World's most premature baby born at 21 weeks defies odds to reach first birthday
THE world's most premature baby has celebrated his first birthday after being born at 21 weeks. Nash Keen arrived 133 days early and is the Guinness World Records holder. 3 3 He was born on July 5, 2024, weighing 285g. After six months in hospital, he now uses an oxygen tube. Mum Mollie, from Ankeny, Iowa, US, said: 'This milestone isn't just about turning one, it's about resilience, hope, and everything he's overcome to get here,' said Mollie. 'We're incredibly grateful to the doctors, nurses, and supporters who helped us reach this day.' Nash's story has touched hearts across the country. 'We never set out to be in the spotlight, that's just not us,' Mollie admitted. "But sharing Nash's story felt important. 'We wanted to give hope to other families walking hard medical roads and to show what's possible even in the most uncertain circumstances. 'The attention has always come from a place of love and support, and for that, we're incredibly grateful.' Dad Randall added: 'If there's ever anyone in this world that deserves to be a mother, it's Mollie. 'He's a world record holder and we're so thrilled he achieved that because that means he made it. Mum refused to say baby's name in case she died after premature birth 'He made his journey and he's surviving and thriving. "We're very proud of him.' 3
