Evelyn Eilers, of Iowa City, Iowa, was born at 23 weeks in an emergency C-section after her mother, Emily, grew concerned about a lack of movement.
At birth Evelyn weighed 8 and ½ ounces, the equivalent weight of two bananas or a can of soda, which made her the tiniest surviving preemie born in the United States.
Maggie Dewitte, of Pulse Life Advocates, followed the story of the newborn fighting for her life with help from a team of neonatal specialists at University of Iowa Health Care. The newborn suffered from a collapsed lung and dehydration, and then got an intestinal infection at one month old.
The medical team, led by Dr. Timothy Boly, implemented a treatment of steroids and asthma medication, and IV immunoglobulin therapy to improve the little baby’s immune system, according to a story by pro-life group Live Action.
“It’s just a good reminder,” DeWitte says, “that all life has value, and all life has dignity, and it should be protected.”
Regarding ongoing debate about limits on abortion, DeWitte says huge advances in medicine and medical technology makes it more important than ever to protect the unborn from conception to birth.
