Smallest baby ever born celebrates first birthday

A baby born weighing less than a soda can has celebrated her first birthday.

Rumaisa Rahman, whose parents are from India, is believed to be the smallest baby ever to survive. With a birth weight of just 8.6 ounces (244 grams), The Guinness Book of Records lists her as the world's lightest birth.

Rumaisa and her nonidentical twin sister, Hiba, were delivered by Caesarean section 14 weeks early after their mother developed pre-eclampsia, involving dangerously high blood pressure, according to the AP.

Loyola University Medical Center, the Chicago hospital where Rumaisa received treatment until she was discharged in February, hosted a party for the two girls on their birthday Monday.

Rumaisa, who was only 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) long at birth, now weighs 13 pounds (5.9 kilograms) and is 24 inches (61 centimeters) tall.

Rumaisa's sister, Hiba, weighed only 20 ounces (567 grams) at birth but was discharged from the hospital a month before her sister. She now weighs 17 pounds (7.7 kilograms).

Full-term, 1-year-old babies usually weigh around 20 pounds (9 kilograms).

The twins were the first children for Mohammed Abdul Rahman and Mahajabeen Shaik, who are originally from Hyderabad, India and now live in Illinois.

Doctors said both girls are doing well.

"I feel very optimistic that I don't think that either of them will have any significant handicaps," said Dr. Jonathan Muraskas.

The girls' father said doctors have told him the twins could be on the small side as adults but that only time would tell.

"If you have faith in God, everything is going to be OK," he said.

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