Newlyweds welcome premature baby born at 22 weeks

When Sara and Ben Urbach went in for a routine ultrasound on January 25, 2024, they had had a healthy pregnancy and were excited to meet their little girl in May. In fact, the couple, who were married just 12 days prior on January 13, thought they had a few months to prepare for her arrival. Instead, they experienced two huge life events in the span of less than two weeks.

During the ultrasound, it was discovered that Sara had an incompetent cervix. According Cleveland Clinic, this condition happens “when the cervix opens, weakens, or shortens too early in a pregnancy,” thus initiating pre-term labor. However, there aren’t the usual signs like contractions or the water breaking. Doctors need to know who is at risk of having this condition and what to look for. It has been reported that “almost 25% of second trimester miscarriages are due to an incompetent cervix.”

Having an incompetent cervix is fairly common – it happens in about 1 in 100 pregnancies. If it is discovered soon enough in the pregnancy, usually 12-14 weeks, the cervix can be sewn shut, a procedure called cervical cerclage. This gives the baby a chance to keep developing and delays labor as long as possible. 

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When Sara was discovered to have an incompetent cervix, she was 22 weeks and 5 days into her pregnancy. She was admitted to Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, where the care team tried to delay labor, but Sara began dilating, and it was too late for a cervical cerclage. She had an emergency c-section and delivered Mira Violet, who weighed just one pound three ounces. Dr. Mark Brisso, the medical director of the NICU at Bryan Medical Center, said that Mira’s chances of survival at birth were less than 50% with her age of gestation and weight. Little Mira is one of the earliest births ever in Nebraska.

Mira beat the odds and survived, needing ventilation and nutritional support. As of publication, she is still in the NICU, and her parents can’t wait to bring her home. Brisso reports she is thriving and relatively stable, but still in need of intensive care for about 12-16 more weeks.

Ben and Sara’s family set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for their extensive medical bills. The page also tells their story and provides updates on Mira’s progress. On March 5th, Ben posted: “Mira is on oxygen through her nose and not her mouth anymore! She’s making strides and making us proud everyday…thank you all for your generous support.”

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