When Shakina Rajendram went into labour after just 21 weeks and 5 days – over four months early – she was told that the pregnancy was a loss, and nothing could be done to save her twins.Her babies were “not viable,” doctors said. “0% chance of survival.”

However, one year later, both Adiah Laelynn and Adrial Luka Nadarajah, from Ontario, Canada, are alive and kicking, ready to celebrate their first birthday today as the world’s most premature twins.ny

Adiah and Adrial were born 126 days early, on 4 March 2022, breaking the previous record of 125 set by Keeley and Kambry Ewoldt (USA, b. 24 November 2018).Weighing just 330 g (0.72 lb), baby girl Adiah was born 23 minutes before her brother, Adrial, who weighed 420 g (0.92 lb).

At a combined 750 g (1.65 lb), they are the lightest twins at birth ever.The record-breaking Nadarajah twins entered the world at a gestational age of exactly 22 weeks. If they’d been born even one hour earlier, no attempt would have been made to save their lives.ny

BP. “When I went into labour, the babies were denied all life-sustaining measures at the hospital I was admitted to and almost left to die,” Shakina revealed.

This was her second pregnancy; Shakina sadly lost her first pregnancy just a few months prior, at the very same hospital.

“We were in shock,” she recalled.The only consolation the hospital could offer was ‘comfort care,’ whereby the babies would be placed on top of Shakina while they slowly passed away.

BP. “No words could capture the emotional, mental and physical trauma we experienced in the moments that transpired.” – ShakinaThe twins’ father, Kevin Nadarajah, recalled being awake at night, “face streaming with tears,” praying for a sign of hope.

The next day, Kevin received that sliver of hope he’d been wishing for, as Shakina was transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, which specializes in resuscitating 22-week-old babies.

For context, most hospitals do not attempt to save babies born before 24-26 weeks.

BP. Even though Shakina was now in Mount Sinai’s specialist neonatal intensive care unit, the situation still looked bleak.

It was Shakina’s second day of labour – 21 weeks 6 days into the pregnancy – and she was informed that if the babies were born even a few minutes before they turned 22 weeks old, they would be left to die.

Even if they did make it to 22 weeks, Shakina and Kevin were dissuaded several times from resuscitating the babies.

BP. “We were told it would be a ‘death sentence’ for them and they would have many disabilities, but we insisted on the babies being given a chance to live.” – Shakina

Shakina had been bleeding heavily throughout the day, but she tried her best to “hold the babies in.”

However, half an hour before midnight, she felt her water break. She was devastated.“I thought that this was it,” she remembered. “They are gonna die and it’s gonna be because of me.”

Fortunately, Shakina was informed that her water had not actually broken. Exhausted, the soon-to-be mother quickly fell asleep.

BP. Shakina awoke 15 minutes after midnight, and this time her water was breaking for real.

Miraculously, within an hour and a half, at a gestational age of 22 weeks 0 days, both twins were born and successfully resuscitated.

However, the battle was only half won.

Adiah and Adrial remained in the hospital’s care for almost six months, facing complications with brain bleeding, sepsis, and fluid management.

Both babies had extremely thin, transparent skin.

The second week after being born, Adrial suddenly developed an intestinal perforation, which led to a blood stream infection and significant inflammation throughout his whole body. His fragile skin suffered extensive peeling each time the catheter required redressing.

BP. “We watched the babies almost die before our eyes many times,” Shakina shared.