One of world's tiniest babies, in pictures
At birth, Melinda Star Guido tipped the scales at only nine-and-a-half ounces, a tad less than the weight of two iPhones. Melinda is believed to be the second-smallest baby to survive in the United States and the third-smallest in the world.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
At birth, Melinda Star Guido was so tiny she could fit into the palm of her doctor's hand.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
Melinda was born premature at 24 weeks and spent her early months cocooned in an incubator in a neonatal intensive care unit. Almost every day, her 22-year-old mother sits at her bedside, and stays overnight whenever she can.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
A month after she was born, Melinda was treated for an eye disorder that's common in premature babies. She faced her biggest test when she underwent surgery to close an artery that usually seals after birth.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
Melinda was delivered by cesarean section at 24 weeks and was immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive care Unit, where a team of doctors and nurses kept watch around the clock. Infants born before 37 weeks are considered premature.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
Most tiny babies who survive tend to be female. That's because female fetuses mature faster than males of the same gestational age. Having more developed lungs and other vital organs increases odds of survival.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date
Ten babies weighing less than a pound were born last year and survived. Melinda joins three other tiny survivors delivered this year in Berkeley; Seoul, South Korea; and Iowa City, Iowa. All are bigger than Melinda, who is not eligible to be listed until she gets discharged.
One of world's tiniest babies lives to due date