Miracle baby battles on to beat the odds

Charlotte Dickson is a small miracle who challenges the view that babies born seriously premature cannot enjoy any quality of life.

Born at Wellington Hospital at just 23 weeks - more than four months early - she has defied medical odds not only by surviving, but by developing into a healthy 10-month-old baby.

Doctors in Britain are considering whether hospitals should follow the Netherlands and let the most premature babies die - those aged 24 weeks or less and weighing under 450 grams.

Supporters say the reality for most babies born at such an early stage is grim, with most either not surviving or suffering major health problems.

Charlotte's mother, Liz Rose, of Wellington, describes the day of her daughter's birth as "probably the worst day of my life".

"It upsets me to think about what she's been through to get here, but when you look at her now you wouldn't have it any other way."

As she gave birth, Ms Rose feared the worst. "I just thought that was the end of it."

Doctors gave Charlotte a 50-50 chance at best, but soon after her birth it was clear she was a survivor.

"She wouldn't have been able to breathe without help but she was trying to breathe for herself when she was born," Ms Rose said.

"All along she was saying, 'I am strong and I actually want to be here'."

Charlotte spent nearly the first five months of her life in Wellington Hospital's neo-natal intensive care unit. In the first few weeks she suffered an infection and brain bleed, and needed surgery. At one stage doctors could no longer access Charlotte's veins to feed and medicate her.

"They said to us, 'This isn't looking good' but at the same time Charlotte decided she didn't need these things [drugs] - and coped without them."

Since June, when she was finally allowed to go home, Charlotte has progressed in leaps and bounds. She is still on oxygen at night - to help her lungs damaged by the ventilator - but she no longer needs medication.

- NZPA