(CNN) A baby born weighing less than a pound has beaten the odds and celebrated his first birthday, becoming the most premature baby to survive, according to Guinness World Records.
When Richard Scott William Hutchinson was born five months prematurely -- recognized by Guinness as the world's most premature baby -- his doctors prepared his parents for the worst.
Richard was born at Children's Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after his mother, Beth Hutchinson, suffered medical complications that caused her to go into labor.
Born 131 days prior to the expected due date and weighing just 11.9 ounces, Richard was so tiny his parents could hold him in a single palm of their hands, Guinness said.
Richard in the hospital shortly after his birth.
"When [his father] Rick and Beth received prenatal counseling on what to expect with a baby born so early, they were given a 0% chance of survival by our neonatology team," Dr. Stacy Kern, Richard's neonatologist at Children's Minnesota, told Guinness World Records.
stippleworth on June 20th, 2021 at 12:34 UTC »
My sister had open heart surgery at a few days old (maybe a week) in 1988. It was successful but she was given a few years to live, then 13, then 21. She’s 33 now. Not exactly in great health but fully functioning and living life as best she can
Ozzurip on June 20th, 2021 at 12:33 UTC »
He was born 131 days early. That’s birth at about 150 days gestation, or roughly 21 weeks. Edit: or just over 4 months
Outer_Space_Ferret on June 20th, 2021 at 11:56 UTC »
What are the long term health concerns for a child born that early yet surviving?