Guinness World Records has officially recognized Nash as the world’s most premature baby to survive
An Iowa family recently celebrated a remarkable milestone: the first birthday of the world’s most premature baby once given little chance of survival. Mollie and Randall Keen welcomed their son, Nash Keen, on July 5, 2024, at just 21 weeks gestation—a staggering 133 days premature. Weighing only 285 grams (10 ounces) and measuring 24 centimeters, Nash was born smaller than a grapefruit.
Affectionately nicknamed “Nash Potato,” the tiny fighter turned one earlier this month, defying overwhelming odds. He was born at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital, where his survival was anything but guaranteed.
A Journey Marked by Loss and Hope
Two years before Nash’s birth, the Keens lost their daughter McKinley at 18 weeks gestation. Afterward, Mollie was diagnosed with incompetent cervix, a condition where the cervix begins to dilate too early in pregnancy. She also suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that can affect fertility.
Just six months after their loss, the couple learned they were expecting again. At their 20-week scan for Nash, Mollie expressed concerns to her doctor. A closer examination revealed she was already 2 centimeters dilated. Within days, she began having contractions and was put on strict bed rest.
Extremely Low Survival Rates with Complications
Thanks to round-the-clock care and strategic medical interventions, doctors were able to delay labor just long enough — 10 hours past the 21-week threshold.
“We want what’s best for patients, but we always emphasize the uncertainty of outcomes at such an early gestation,” said Dr. Malinda Schaefer, the high-risk obstetrician who delivered Nash. “Survival rates are extremely low, and even if babies survive, long-term complications are likely.”
“While we knew Nash still had a long road ahead, that was when we began to believe he truly had a chance,” Neonatologist Dr. Amy Stanford. “It was a subtle but powerful shift—from day-to-day survival to long-term hope.”
Nash was discharged in January 2025
World’s Most Premature Nash spent 198 days in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). He underwent intensive treatment for his heart and brain, received numerous medications, and had surgery for a perforated bowel, a condition with a 40% mortality rate.
Finally, in January 2025, Nash was discharged and went home—proving himself a miracle of modern medicine and unrelenting human will.
World’s Most Premature Baby | Still Fighting, Still Thriving
Nash’s journey isn’t over. He continues to face ongoing health challenges, including a minor heart defect, hearing loss requiring hearing aids, and reliance on a feeding tube. He is also being gradually weaned off oxygen.
But for his parents and care team, every breath Nash takes is a victory.
Before Nash, the world’s most premature baby to survive was Curtis Zy-Keith Means, born in 2020 at 21 weeks and 1 day gestation. Nash now holds the record at exactly 21 weeks, making his survival nothing short of historic.
