'Miracles can unfold': Parents celebrate birthday of daughter born at 23 weeks

Thanks to the care and expertise shown by the staff at the Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital, a preemie born at just 23 weeks and four days just celebrated her first birthday.

Jemima was born weighing barely more than a bag of sugar and her life was at risk. Her parents, Hannah and Craig, expected the worst.

Key Takeaways:

• When doctors realized Hannah had begun dilating at 20 weeks pregnant, she was told she could lose her baby.

• She was transferred to a high-risk hospital to give her baby a better chance of surviving.

• Jemima's first birthday was called a victory for "life and faith."

The Details:

Hannah was notified at 20 weeks of pregnancy that she was six centimeters dilated and was at risk of losing her baby.

According to the BBC, Hannah said, “We were heartbroken. We'd gone from sharing our excitement with our loved ones about having a baby girl the day before to being told we were going to lose her.” 

She continued:

"It quickly became apparent that the only way our baby would survive was if she was born at a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), our nearest being The Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital. The day before the unit had been full but miraculously there was a space for us the day I was transferred to the hospital."

Upon Jemima’s birth at 23 weeks and four days, the hospital team worked painstakingly to save her life by stabilizing her breathing and heart rate. For months, Jemima remained in intensive care, connected to tubes and encompassed by monitors, as her parents waited with hope that she would continue to grow strong. But it was a difficult experience for them emotionally.

“Seeing Jemima in her incubator covered in tubes and wires was heart wrenching,” Hannah said.

Eventually, Jemima was discharged on oxygen on February 19, 2025, just a week after her due date. Four months later, Jemima no longer had to rely on respiratory support.

"Today, Jemima is absolutely thriving," her father, Craig, said. "We are so grateful to all of the consultants, doctors and nurses who cared for Jemima and us while we were on the unit. Jemima wouldn't be here without them."

Zoom In:

Hannah described Jemima as their “miracle girl,” saying they owe everything to the dedication of the hospital’s neonatal team. “They never gave up on her — even when it was touch and go. Their care gave us our daughter,” she said.

Craig added that celebrating Jemima’s first birthday felt like “a victory of faith and life itself.”

Staff at the Oliver Fisher Unit say they were moved by the experience.

Neonatal Consultant and Neonatal Clinical Lead Dr Helen Gbinigie, who helped care for Jemima, said, “Jemima’s journey is one of extraordinary resilience. Her story reminds us of the fragility of life, the strength of families and clinical teams working together, and how miracles can unfold even in the darkest hours.” 

Medical advances have made it possible for premature babies to survive at younger and younger ages, especially with more doctors providing active care, instead of just palliative care. 

New research conducted between 2014 and 2023 found that active treatment is being offered more frequently, increasing from 28.8% to 78.6% for babies born at 22 weeks. Accordingly, survival rates also increased at 22 weeks, from 25.7% to 41%. Similar outcomes were observed for babies born at 23 weeks, where active treatment increased from 87.4% to 94.7%, and survival rates rose from 53.8% to 57.9%.

The Bottom Line:

Jemima’s story is a good reminder that life, even when it is hanging over a cliff’s edge, holds immense value and potential. The significance of proper neonatal care in saving babies’ lives at risk cannot be underestimated.