Twin boys born a week before the abortion limit have just celebrated their first birthday.
Born at 22 weeks and 6 days, the pair were the youngest surviving premature twin boys in Britain.
Now Ruben and Jenson Powell are “thriving”.
Abortion limit
Mum Jennie and Dad Rich were on holiday in Cornwall when Jennie began experiencing pains.
Doctors at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro decided she should be transferred to a specialist neo-natal unit.
Jennie had an emergency Caesarean, and the twins were delivered safely – a full 8 days before the abortion limit in Great Britain.
No chance
Because the boys were so premature, Ruben weighed just 20.8 oz and his brother even less at 18.8 oz.
Doctors told Mr and Mrs Powell that Ruben had a 20-30 per cent chance of surviving his first 48 hours, and gave Jenson no chance at all.
But the pair survived their first few days and though they both struggled initially – Ruben had a lifesaving operation at eight days, and Jensen also had weak lungs – they are now doing much better.
‘Thriving’
Rich said: “The boys had it all – infections, more than 20 blood transfusions, sepsis, pneumonia, eye injections and laser surgery, hernia reversal, you name it.
“Today, the boys are thriving.
“They will continue to have chronic lung disease until they are about three, which can make them more vulnerable to colds and infections, requiring oxygen support, but otherwise they are doing really well.”