Aurie defies the odds and her extreme preterm birth
Adison came home 2 days before his due date having made remarkable progress
Chantel and Tyson Segaram believe in miracles. When their daughter Aurie was born at just 25 weeks, they had to.
The couple were blessed with two children in 2016 and 2018, followed by two heartbreaking miscarriages.
Aurie was conceived by IVF due to unexplained infertility and her pregnancy was uneventful up until 20 weeks.
It was noted at pre-conception, and throughout the early stages pregnancy, that there was damage to Chantel’s cervix. This was due to a number of contributing factors including previous emergency caesarean deliveries. What remained unclear was what impact this would have on Aurie’s pregnancy.
“After the routine scan it was obvious that the cervix was funnelling and progesterone was prescribed. My obstetrician recommended that I slowed day-to-day life,” Chantel recalls.
Progressively Chantel’s cervix continued to shorten and at 23 weeks a cervical cerclage was attempted.
Whilst the obstetrician was able to complete the surgery, it exposed the damage to the cervix and Chantel was advised that Aurie would likely be delivered early and she left the hospital on bed rest.
Ten days post-surgery, Chantel’s waters broke and she was admitted to King Edward Memorial Hospital.
“From the hospital bed I viewed countless videos of preterm babies to prepare myself for the visual shock of what a premature baby would look like,” Chantel reflects.
48hours later, a spike in heart rate and temperature lead to the decision for Aurie to be delivered.
“The room was very quiet when Aurie was born and she left the theatre immediately with Tyson. I was sent a beautiful photo of my baby in the NICU but it couldn’t truly convey her size and vulnerability.”
Born at 25 weeks and 1 day, and weighing just 746 grams, Aurie was classed as a ‘micropreemie’.
Aurie’s first two weeks were incredibly hopeful. During this time other babies cycled in and out of her nursery pod and the realisation set in that she was one of the littlest and youngest babies in the NICU. After the initial fortnight, her condition plateaued and the worry set in.
Among the litany of procedures and treatments Aurie had to overcome were multiple courses of heart medication in an attempt to close her heart valve, multiple blood transfusions, nebuliser drugs for her preterm lungs, and retinopathy of prematurity in both eyes. Despite this, Aurie’s medical hurdles so far have amounted to nothing.
In July of last year, the Segaram family would celebrate a monumental milestone as they welcomed Aurie home after 93 days at King Edward Memorial Hospital.
“Aurie has had to play life’s lotto – the odds and statistics have always been against her from the very beginning, but every day is our lucky day!”