14/03/2026
"Life at the edge of viability "
Born at 25 weeks, weighing 720 grams— a journey where uncertainty was the only constant
This is a story that changed me as a doctor.
Being a young clinician I may not have many success stories to tell yet, and I rarely share them publicly—but this one truly deserves a special mention.
Textbooks say a fetus becomes viable after 24 weeks.
But real life scenarios rarely follow textbooks.
This little one arrived at 25 weeks and 3 days, weighing just 720 grams.
At that stage of life, survival itself is a challenge.
But this tiny human seemed to have a tryst with destiny.
What followed was a journey of almost 100 days in the NICU.
The lungs were extremely fragile and required two doses of surfactant. Along the way, the baby developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia, making every step towards independent breathing a hard-earned victory.
* 48 days on mechanical ventilation
* 20 days on CPAP
* Nearly 85 days of oxygen support
With prolonged oxygen support, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) became almost inevitable.
The baby developed severe ROP and required two laser treatments to protect vision.
Feeding brought another challenge.
Severe feed intolerance meant progress was painfully slow.
Sometimes advancement happened drop by drop, requiring patience, persistence, and constant adjustments.
During the NICU stay, the baby also developed neonatal sepsis as well.This added another layer of uncertainty to an already fragile journey and required intense monitoring and timely treatment.
There were days when progress meant just a few grams gained,
And there were days when survival itself felt uncertain.
Yet day after day, setback after setback, this tiny human kept reminding us what resilience truly means.
And after nearly 100 days, this 720-gram warrior finally went home.
But what stood out the most throughout this journey was the unwavering faith of the parents.
Despite the long NICU stay, the setbacks, and the uncertainty that comes with extreme prematurity, their trust never wavered.
That quiet faith gave us the strength to continue - day after day, month after month.
This is not just a success story. It was a life-changing lesson.
It taught me patience:
Patience to accept that setbacks are part of the journey.
Patience to continue standard care even when progress feels painfully slow.
Patience to support fragile lungs for weeks, advance feeds milliliter by milliliter, and wait until an immature body adapts to life outside the womb.
In the NICU, miracles rarely happen in dramatic moments.
They happen quietly —
in milliliters of feeds tolerated,
in breaths taken without support,
in grams gained each day.
This little fighter taught me that even the smallest lives can carry the greatest strength. 💪🏻
This journey was possible only because of the tireless work of our NICU team — sisters and residents who stood strong through every step. Thanks to Dr amber dixit for taking care of baby gently during my absence.
I am deeply grateful to Dr. Atul Kulkarni sir for guiding me and helping me grow to handle such challenges. He has always been a strong support behind me like a fatherly figure.
My sincere thanks to Dr. Archana Shah madam, who trusted me with the responsibility of managing such a fragile life. She brought this mother to deliver here in ashwini hospital just with hope that it is best possible chance for survival. At times this felt overwhelming to me. But smile on her face at the discharge of child was priceless thing for me.
Many thanks to the management of Ashwini Sahakari Rugnalay for giving me the opportunity — the pitch to play.
Dr Ashutosh Yajurvedi
Consultant
Ashiwni sahakari rugnalay
Solapur
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