World’s most premature twins, born four months early, celebrate their first birthday

When Ontario-based Shakina Rajendram went into labour four months earlier than her due date, she was told by the doctors that her babies have a “0% chance of survival”. Fast forward a year and now the Rajendram twins, Adiah Laelynn and Adrial Luka Nadarajah, have celebrated their first birthday on March 4, 2023.

Adiah and Adrial were born after 152 days of pregnancy as opposed to the standard 266 days. At birth, they had a combined weight of just 750 grams. They hold the title of not just being the world’s ‘most premature twins’ but also the ‘lightest twins at birth’.

They have broken the previous record set by Keeley and Kambry Ewoldt who were born on 24 November, 2018 after 155 days of pregnancy.

The Nadarajah twins were born 15 minutes after midnight on March 4, 2022, just as they reached the gestational age of exactly 22 weeks. This is significant because had they been born even an hour earlier, no hospital would have made an attempt to save them as most healthcare institutions in Canada do not try to resuscitate babies that are born earlier than 22 weeks.

The miracle twins were born at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto which has facilities for special neonatal intensive care required in cases of extreme premature births.

After the delivery, Adiah and Adrial stayed in the hospital’s intensive care for almost six months. They battled complications with brain bleeding, fluid management, sepsis and breathing. Finally, after 161 days in intensive care, Adiah was cleared to be discharged. Her brother Adrial joined her a week later.