Iowa Baby, born at 21 weeks, holds the world record as the most premature

An Iowa family recently celebrated an important step for a very special baby.

Mollie and Randall Keen welcomed their son, Nash Keen, on July 5, 2024. He was born 133 days earlier, only 21 weeks of gestation.

Guinness World Records officially recognized Nash as the most premature baby in the world to survive.

IVF technique for three people shown to prevent hereditary genetic diseases

Earlier this month, Nash – affectionately nicknamed “Nash Potato” – has shot a year, defying every chance.

When he was born at the Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University of Health Care, Nash weighed only 285 grams (10 ounces) at birth – less than a grapefruit – and was 24 centimeters long, according to a press release from the hospital.

Nash Keen is illustrated at 1 month with his mother, Mollie Keen. He was born 133 days earlier, just 21 weeks of gestation. (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

Two years before the premature birth of Nash, the Keens lost a little girl, McKinley, at 18 weeks of gestation.

At that time, Mollie Keen was diagnosed with an incompetent collar, that is to say when the lower part of the cervix begins to open (dilating) too early, generally in the second quarter, shared the press release.

Genetic mutation of the sperm linked to cancer in 10 children designed

It also suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (SOPK), a hormonal disorder that can cause fertility difficulties.

Six months after their loss, the Keens discovered that another baby was on the way.

Nash Keen is illustrated at 2 weeks (left) and 11 months (right). (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

“When we went to our local doctor’s office for the digitization of 20 weeks for Nash, I just worried about what I felt, so I asked them to look at me more closely – what they normally do not do during this meeting – and they found that I was already dilated by 2 centimeters,” said Mollie Keen.

A few days later, she started to have contractions and was placed on bed rest.

The CDC removes the recommendation of vaccine coded for healthy children and pregnant women

“We were devastated,” she said. “We thought we were going through exactly the same thing – we thought we were going to lose this baby.”

The medical team of the neonatal intensive care unit (USIN) of the Stead family hospital provides rescue care for babies born at 21 weeks of gestation and later.

Nash Keen is represented at 3 weeks (left) and 14 weeks (right). The medical team of the neonatal intensive care unit (USIN) of the Stead family hospital provides rescue care for babies born at 21 weeks of gestation and later. (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

Fortunately, the Mollie care team was able to delay the work up to 10 hours after Nash exceeded the brand of 21 weeks.

“We want what is best for patients, so we really try to transmit that we do not know what the results for these extremely premature births will be,” said Malinda Schaefer, MD, PH.D., the high -risk obstetrician who delivered Nash.

Nash Keen illustrated at 4 weeks with his mother, Mollie Keen (left) and 7 weeks (right). (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

“It is important that parents understand that most survival rates are low, and if babies survive, they have a very high risk of long -term complications, even at 22 weeks.”

The team quickly provided Nash drugs to support its organ development and reduce the risk of complications, the press release said.

The woman says that Dog detected her breast cancer before the doctors do it: “ he is known all this time ”

“Sometimes babies born at 21 weeks are too small for even our least respiratory tubes and intravenous lines,” said neonatologist Amy Stanford, who treated Nash. “Our factory team evaluated Nash, and I was able to place a respiratory tube. Once we had the respiratory tube, its heart rate stabilized and its oxygen levels were good.”

Despite this, the chances of Nash were thin, because no baby that Young had never survived.

Before the birth of Nash, the most premature baby to survive was Curtis Zy-Keith, born from Michelle Butler on July 5, 2020 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital, according to Guinness World Records. He was born at a gestational age of 21 weeks and 1 day, or 132 premature days.

Nash Keen is represented with his parents, Mollie and Randall Keen, at the Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University of Health Care on June 4, 2025. Nash was born in July 2024 as the first baby never born at 21 weeks, 0 days of gestation. (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

“We never want parents to lose hope, but many of them are in an unreal situation, so we must be very honest with them,” said Patrick McNamara, MD, director of neonatology at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

“I would have said to his parents:” The opportunity is zero, but I hope I am wrong, and we will do our best to help him. “”

“I want him to see his story as a source of strength.”

Around one month, Stanford said the team started “breathing a little more easily”.

“While we knew that Nash still had a long trip in advance, it was the point where we started to feel more confident than he had a real chance of going home.”

“It was a subtle but powerful change – from daily survival to long -term hope.”

Click here to obtain the Fox News app

Nash received current care during his 198 days at the hospital, while the team has monitored their heart function and brain health.

In addition to receiving many drugs, he has also undergone surgery for a perforated intestine, which has up to 40% mortality rate.

After more than six months in the hospital, Nash Keen was finally released from the factory in January 2025. He survived with very minimal complications and is at home and prosperous. (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

“They were above this at every stage. They really gave him a chance to fight,” said Randall Keen. “They were really honest with us during the whole trip to what his chances looked like. They made sure that we were well informed and kept us involved in the entire decision.”

After more than six months in the hospital, Nash was finally able to return home in January 2025.

Click here to register for our Health Newsletter

It will continue to be monitored for continuous health problems, including minor cardiac malice, and is currently weaned oxygen. Nash is still on a food tube and bears hearing aids.

Although he had some development delays, Nash becomes stronger and more interactive with the help of current therapy sessions, according to his mother.

Claire Goeke DNP, nurse practitioner of the Usin follow -up clinic, assesses Nash Keen at the Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital Pediatric Specialty Clinic on June 4, 2025. (Children’s Hospital of the Iowa University health care family)

Stanford shared his ultimate goal for Nash – “that at the age of 5 when he goes to kindergarten, nobody will know that he was born so early.”

“Nash’s remarkable result reflects the progress we have made by relying on the experiences of patients preceding it,” she added.

For more health items, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Mollie Keen shared that she wanted Nash to know how much he is – and “how many people encouraged her from the start”.

“I want him to grow and he is in good health, happy and confident in whom he is. I want him to see his story as a source of strength.”