Korea's lightest newborn grows strongly, leaves hospital

Three months after birth, Sarang, Korea's lightest newborn at 302 grams(left), weighed 600 grams(right). Yonhap

Proud parents: Sarang with her mother and father before she was discharged from hospital. Yonhap

By Jung Hae-myoung

Sarang, who was born four months premature and weighed 302 grams, left hospital Thursday strong and healthy. Her weight set a Korean record for the lightest newborn.

She had spent much of the past six months in the intensive care unit at Asan Medical Center (AMC) since her birth in January.

Three months after her birth, she doubled in weight but still was much less than a healthy newborn, who weighs between 2,500 and 4,000 grams.

Her mother had Sarang through artificial insemination. During her pregnancy, the mother got sick and had to give birth by Caesarean delivery.

“I was able to feel the awe of life every time Sarang overcame one of many crises,” Professor Jung Eui-seok, the doctor in charge of saving Sarang, told Yonhap.