Preemie born at 23 weeks weighing a pound is home after 172 days in NICU

A premature baby born at just 23 weeks gestation, weighing a mere 1 lb., 1 oz., has been discharged from the hospital after spending 172 days in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Northern Virginia, over 5,000 miles from her family’s home in Ghana. 

Key Takeaways:

• Ghanaian mother Afua traveled to the United States for a wedding, but went into premature labor. Her husband and three-year-old child remained in Ghana.

• Her baby girl, Akosua, was delivered at 23 weeks, and stayed in the NICU for 172 days.

• The baby was discharged after a G-tube was inserted to temporarily help with nutrition. Mother and baby remain in the U.S. for the time being, while baby Akosua receives specialized care for the G-tube.

The Details:

Ghanaian mother-of-two Afua, who was 23 weeks pregnant in October 2025, had traveled from Ghana to the United States to attend her cousin’s wedding. Initially, Afua intended to spend several days in Northern Virginia reconnecting with family and friends before heading to Houston for the rest of her trip. On the third day of her visit, Afua started to feel ill and sought care at the emergency department of StoneSprings Hospital Center. 

Doctors realized that Afua was already six centimeters dilated, prompting them to transfer her to Reston Hospital, a facility equipped to handle extremely premature births. On October 26, 2025, Afua’s daughter, Akosua, was delivered.

Akosua remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for 172 days, encountering various complications connected to her premature birth. She battled pneumonia and needed multiple reintubations, rendering her early months particularly challenging. 

Separated by thousands of miles from her husband and their three-year-old child, Afua said the care she received from medical staff helped her get through the difficult time.

“Most of the time, you might have a partner to share this with, but my husband wasn’t around. To have the nurses and the doctors just hug and say, ‘It will be okay,’ offered so much comfort,” Afua said. She continued:

“As much as I have fantastic doctors back home in Ghana, I think the majority of them told me that assuming it had happened back home, the outcome would possibly have been different.

For a 23-weeker, chances of survival back home would probably have been close to none. The infrastructure to support a baby [born that early] is close to nonexistent. The assurance I was getting back home was to be thankful it’s happened where it has."

In time, after Akosua’s birth, Afua’s husband traveled with their young child to see the newest member of the family, but because Akosua was in isolation, the siblings could not meet face to face.

Later on, Dr. Mariam Said, the NICU medical director at Reston Hospital Center who oversaw Akosua’s care, portrayed Afua’s family as “a joy” during their visit.

"[Afua’s] whole family was just a joy, And one thing I will say about this unit in particular: This becomes a family. Even if you’re not here for 100 days, it really does become a family,” Dr. Said stated.

Regarding Akosua’s birth and survival, Dr. Said continued:

"I do have to tell you, in the big picture, we see lots of 23-week babies and they don’t all have good outcomes. I mean, she’s a real miracle.

I think that the partnership between Children’s National and HCA [Healthcare] allows us to care for babies like this If this was prior to our partnership, she would have been transferred to another facility, which likely puts her at much higher risk for intraventricular hemorrhage and other adverse outcomes just from the transport alone. … [This partnership] allows us to care for the sickest of the sick jointly and serve the community in a really meaningful way."

Zoom In:

Eventually, Afua was discharged with Akosua after a G-tube was placed, supporting the baby's feeding until she can eat independently.

“The G tube’s not forever. It’s a bridge to get her home," Dr. Said explained. "It’s a big decision to make. But at the same time, we know developmentally, being home with [her mom] 24/7 is the most beneficial thing.”  

For the time being, Afua and Akosua will remain in the United States so the baby can continue receiving specialized care for her G-tube. Afua disclosed that she intends to return frequently to visit the hospital team who supported them, including during a planned trip this summer with her husband and older daughter.

“God sent amazing angels when we had no idea it was her time to be on Earth … and they held her until she was ready to go home,” Afua said.

The Bottom Line:

Akosua’s story is a poignant reminder that every child, however small or premature, is a unique human being deserving of protection, not elimination. Even at 23 weeks, human babies are able to survive with appropriate and meticulous medical care. The very existence of thriving micro-preemies like Akosua boosts the pro-life case for defending the lives of  all preborn children, regardless of gestational age. They are not potential humans, but humans with potential.