WASHINGTON 鈥� Four months after her birth at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Maryland, Ariana Sophia Cruz-Gutierrez, the smallest baby to be born there, finally went home Thursday.
Ariana was born prematurely on March 9, weighing only 12 ounces. Her mother, Claudia Cruz, 31, of Annapolis, was only 24 weeks into her pregnancy when Ariana was born. Cruz鈥檚 pregnancy-induced hypertension hastened Ariana鈥檚 birth.
But Ariana wasn鈥檛 breathing when she was born.
鈥淭he baby could die, but with God鈥檚 help and blessing, and the incredible work of the people here, everything has turned out well,鈥� Ariana鈥檚 father, Oscar Gutierrez told the
Ariana鈥檚 weight dropped to 8 ounces shortly after her birth. Now she鈥檚 a few days away from turning 5 months old, and she weighs 4 pounds.
Dr. Suzanne Rindfleisch, who directs the NICU and has been at the hospital for 24 years, says Ariana is the smallest premature baby to survive at the Medical Center.
Ariana will return to AAMC for regular checkups and physical therapy.
