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Born 16 weeks early and weighing barely half a pound at birth, one of the smallest surviving babies ever born anywhere in the world is growing and thriving at a Los Angeles County Hospital. Melinda Star Guido may be tiny, but Global Birth Registry figures show that combining both gestational age and weight, Melinda is the third smallest baby ever born in the world. She was just 24 weeks old and weighed only 270 grams when she was born at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center. "She was always fighting, all the nurses were saying that she was really feisty, she was always fighting for her life," said Melinda's parents, Haydee Ibarra and Yovani Guido. "The first three or four days I was worried if this baby was going to make it. So every day, more than once we spoke to the family and said take it minute by minute," said Dr. Rangasamy Ramanathan, Chief of the Neonatology Section at LAC+USC. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at LAC+USC and their partner organizations will follow Melinda over the next six years to check on her health and ensure her continued quality of life. A profile of Melinda, her parents, and her doctor can be viewed at the Los Angeles County Channel's YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IPzddGds3U As media access to the NICU is limited, B-Roll of Melinda can be viewed and downloaded here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43y21NnHOVs Interviews and additional information can be arranged by calling: Rosa Saca Public Information Officer LAC+USC Healthcare Network 1200 N. State Street Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 409 -6899 office (323) 346- 5586 cell (213) 919-0621 pager

Video URL:
http://www.videobulk.com/video/4948/3rd-Smallest-Baby-born-in-US


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