One-day-old abandoned newborn with no heartbeat revived at Delhi hospital

New Delhi: Doctors at a city hospital have successfully revived a one-day-old baby boy found abandoned in a park in South Delhi's Greater Kailash area in a near death situation.

The infant was discovered by the members of a Resident Welfare Association (RWA) and immediately handed over to the local police, who rushed him to Fortis La Femme.

Upon admission, the newborn was found to be in an extremely critical condition, the hospital said in a statement.

He was suffering from severe hypothermia -- a life-threatening condition in which the body temperature drops so low that the heart, lungs and brain start slowing down -- with pale skin, no breathing and an unclamped umbilical cord.

His pupils were fixed and wide open and his vitals were not normal -- signs that the baby was fighting for survival. The child weighed 2.14 kg at the time of admission, which is an extremely low birth weight, the statement said.

The emergency and neonatal teams at Fortis La Femme, led by Dr Raghuram Mallaiah, Senior Director, Neonatology, and Dr Vishal Gupta, Senior Consultant, Neonatology, immediately initiated life-saving interventions.

He was intubated for breathing and oxygen support and was given two rounds of CPR for revival. Additionally, the team of doctors also gave him IV fluid and blood was transfused, as there was a lot of blood loss too, the statement said.

Within hours of intensive care, the newborn's condition stabilised. Over the following days, he made significant progress, eventually achieving full recovery.

He is now healthy, stable and ready for a second lease of life, the statement said.

Dr Mallaiah said, "When the baby arrived, he had no heartbeat. It was a race against time.

"Our team instantly initiated resuscitation, and after continuous coordinated efforts, we were able to revive him. Today, seeing him breathe and cry normally is nothing short of a miracle." Dr Gupta said the case underscores the importance of immediate medical attention and the unwavering dedication of the hospital's clinical staff.

"The collective effort of the emergency team, nurses and neonatologists brought the child back to life," he said.

Garima Prasad, Facility Director, Fortis La Femme, called it an "extraordinary case" and said it is a powerful reminder of the resilience of life and the compassion of caregivers.

"From being abandoned in a park to being nurtured back to life, the baby's survival stands as a testament to medical excellence and humanity at its best. This case is a testament to Fortis La Femme's commitment to patient care and excellence," she said.

In accordance with government protocols and guidelines, the baby was handed over to police for further legal and protective procedures, the hospital statement said.

According to UNICEF, India has 29.6 million orphaned and abandoned children despite efforts by the government and other stakeholders.

Delhi topped the list among states with the highest number of infants abandoned in any city in India between 2015 and 2020, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020 report.

Among other states, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat registered a high number of abandoned babies, foeticide and infanticides combined within the same period.

It is believed that the key factors primarily are poverty, archaic societal norms, lack of support services and child care homes for single mothers and postpartum depression.