For their first birthday, these Canadian twins got a Guinness World Record.
Adiah and Adrial Nadarajah have been crowned the world’s most premature twins — after arriving 126 days early on March 4, 2022.
The brother and sister took the title from US twins Keeley and Kambry Ewoldt, who were born 125 days early in 2018.
The twins’ mother, Shakina Rajendram, went into labor at 21 weeks and five days, and doctors told her the babies were “not viable” and had a 0% chance of survival, according to Guinness.
“When I went into labor, the babies were denied all life-sustaining measures at the hospital I was admitted to and almost left to die,” Rajendram said. “We were in shock.”
A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks and some hospitals will not perform life-saving measures on babies born before 24 to 26 weeks.
Rajendram was then moved to another hospital that would provide care for the 22-week-old babies. However, if the twins were born before then, the hospital would not save them.
She endured two days of labor and thought her water broke a half hour before that deadline.
“I thought that this was it,” she recalled. “They are gonna die and it’s gonna be because of me.”
Fortunately, it was a false alarm and Rajendram managed to fall asleep. Fifteen minutes past midnight, she was awake and gave birth to the twins.
At 22 weeks, the babies were born.
The twins remained in the care of Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, where they faced complications with brain bleeding, sepsis and other issues.
“We watched the babies almost die before our eyes many times,” cried Rajendram.
Adrial developed an intestinal perforation that led to a blood infection and severe inflammation.
After five months of care in the hospital, the proud parents were allowed to bring their children home.
“We finally got to bring them home — with no breathing or feeding tubes,” gushed Rajendram.
According to her mother, Adiah is an “extremely happy and social baby, and smiles all day long.
“She is very chatty and has ‘conversations’ with us and her toys for hours.”
Adria has had numerous trips back to the hospital to fight off infections, and after his last stay, he needed oxygen support.
Both children continue to be monitored by various specialists but are otherwise “doing great.”