Parents who lost one twin born at 23 weeks grateful surviving twin is now home

A premature baby born at just 23 weeks is heading home with her family after an extended 140-day stay in the NICU. While a major accomplishment, the homecoming is bittersweet for the family, as the baby’s twin died during their NICU stay.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• A mother went into labor at 23 weeks, delivering twin baby girls. One of the twins had a defect in her intestinal tract and only survived for 16 hours after birth, despite attempts at surgical intervention.

• The surviving twin experienced “ups and downs” in the NICU, but eventually overcame her difficulties and went home after 140 days.

• Babies born prematurely at 23 weeks gestation have a 55% chance of survival with active treatment. Some premature babies have survived as young as 21 weeks with medical intervention.

THE DETAILS:

KUTV reports that Sarah and Thandi Kurz were born after their mother, Jodie, went into labor at 23 weeks.

“Sarah came out. We heard her cry loud and clear, and she was there,” Jodie said. “Then Thandi, we had a little bit of a harder time getting Thandi out.”

Thandi was born with a genetic condition that resulted in her intestinal tract not developing properly. Despite multiple surgeries, she did not survive, though Jodie was grateful that her parents had the opportunity to meet Thandi before she passed.

“She gave us 16 hours, which was really sweet because my parents were coming in from South Africa, and they got to meet her the day before she passed away,” she said.

Sarah, meanwhile, had some ups and downs during her hospital stay, and there were periods of time when doctors were unsure if she would survive either.

“Within over a space of an hour or so, she just fell apart, and I was really concerned about her that she may not make it,” said Dr. Scott Witt, a NICU doctor at Timpanogos Regional Hospital where the girls were cared for.

READ: AMAZING: Youngest surviving preemie in the world, born at 21 weeks, is going home

Happily, Sarah overcame the odds with a lot of help and support from the NICU staff. She experienced a “graduation” send-off from hospital staff, who were cheering her as she left after her months-long stay.

Jodie and her husband, Christopher, told KUTV they were extremely grateful for the love and support they received during their time in the hospital.

“It’s the weirdest thing to say that this is the largest blessing outside of my wife that I have ever experienced in my life,” Christopher said.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

A 2022 study found that babies who are born at 23 weeks, like Sarah, have a 55% chance of survival if given active treatment. Despite this fact, many states still allow abortion for any reason at all until the point of “viability” — which is often considered 24 weeks gestation — while some allow abortion for all nine months of pregnancy. Babies have survived as young as 21 weeks.