LNJP hosp forms panel to frame guidelines on child births before completion of 24-weeks of pregnancy

New Delhi: The LNJP Hospital has constituted a panel for framing guidelines for child births that take place before the completion of 24-weeks of pregnancy, officials said on Friday. The move comes in the wake of the recent incident in which a newborn baby, who was “declared dead” soon after birth, but was later found alive. The premature baby, born when her mother was 23-weeks pregnant and weighing only 490 grams, was found alive on Sunday when the family was making plans for her burial. She was brought back to the state-run hospital and was put on ventilator support and she died on Wednesday. Doctors had earlier said, such babies in medical terms are considered “non-viable” and their chances of survival are slim. “We are making guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on how to handle such babies. The guidelines will be submitted to the government,” said LNJP medical director Dr Suresh Kumar.