SAVING BABY ROUROU: CASE HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES OF PREMATURE BIRTHS

After 143 days in a Shenzhen hospital he survived, but his mother faces ongoing hurdles

The baby was incredibly tiny, just a tad larger than the palm of an adult's hand. His thigh was almost as thin as a chopstick and his mouth looked like a little soybean.

Born five months premature and weighing less than 450 grams, the newborn was as light as a bottle of mineral water.

His skin was translucent and his eyelids were still fused shut. His organs were not fully developed and he relied on tubes inserted into his mouth and stomach to stay alive.