Record-setting micro-preemie born before 22 weeks is now home with family
When Sherrye began to go into early labor at 21 weeks into her pregnancy, she and her husband Jamar were afraid, knowing their daughter had a very small chance of survival.
Providentially, they live near MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Long Beach, California, which has an exceptional Level IV NICU, the highest designation possible. They have a special Small Baby Unit and an even more specialize extremely low birthweight program. Reportedly, “The environment within the Small Baby Center mimics a mother’s womb, providing a warm and dark environment for a baby to grow in more developmentally appropriate surroundings.”
Dr. Peggy Chen took Sherrye and Jamar’s case and was confident that she could deliver, intubate, and resuscitate the micro-preemie “Dr. Chen had the mind, skill and courage to deliver and intubate,” said Jamar. “We are so thankful for Dr. Chen who believed in Marz and got us to where we are today.”
The article by the hospital said that the chances were below 10% for Sherrye and Jamar’s daughter to survive at 21 weeks. But new studies are showing increasing survival rates — about 20% at 22 weeks. According the Charlotte Lozier Institute, in some hospitals that specialize in treating extremely premature infants, like MemorialCare Miller, that survival rate can be as high as 60%. This is especially true when staff do everything they can to save a premature baby, instead of assuming that a child born before 24 weeks (the typical standard for “viability”) won’t survive anyway.
Sherrye and Jamar named their new daughter Marz, a fitting name which means warrior, strong, brave, and fierce. She was born at 7:03 a.m. on June 9, 2023, weighing just one pound, one ounce. Marz set a record “as the most premature baby born and discharged at MemorialCare’s Miller Children’s & Women’s.” Marz did not need any surgeries, she just needed four and a half months in the NICU to grow and get strong enough to go home.
The hospital made a video celebrating Marz’s graduation day from the NICU. The caption reads: “After four months in the NICU, Marz was finally able to go home, needing a small supplemental oxygen supply. She is the youngest baby to ever graduate from our NICU.”
Sherrye and Jamar clearly have a strong faith and relied on God throughout this trial. Sherrye said: “Marz has taught us how fragile life is. Our trust in God… has grown.”
Jamar learned to “[s]tay focused on what matters most, regardless of how things seem. Outcomes are a matter of perspective and it’s critical to have faith.”
Human Interest·By Victoria Bergin
