KASKI: In an extreme case of premature birth, a baby girl who weighed only half a kilogram during birth has survived and now is growing healthy, weighing 1.6 kg, doctors said.

The baby, who is yet to be christened, was born to Gita Lamichhane after six months of pregnancy on August 27 at Om Hospital, Mahendrapul in Pokhara, Kaski.

Right after the birth, the baby was taken to the Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara for further treatment, where the baby girl is under intensive care.

A permanent resident of Tilahar VDC-7 in Parbat district, Lamichhane is currently living in Pokhara-14.

Doctors involved in the delivery said that the baby girl is gradually growing healthy and is able to breast-feed after 62 days of rigorous care and treatment in the neo-natal intensive care unit of the Hospital.

They said that the baby was fed protein and carbohydrate through her veins for seven days since the birth.

Later she was breastfed in an interval of every three hours to prevent her intestine from 'drying up'. In addition, an injection was administered to the baby in view of easing her respiratory activities.

The prematurely born baby was later fed vitamins and mineral to speed up her physical and mental growth.

As the preemie reached the age of two weeks, she was fed through a pipe in the mouth.

Health workers said that preparations are underway to discharge the mother and baby on Sunday.

Pediatrician Dr Ram Chandra Bastola, who is involved in the treatment, said that this is probably the first case, wherein doctors were able to save a child born premature weighing half a kilogram.

It is said that a child born from 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy, weighing two and a half kilogram to four kilograms is considered normal.