Who is Nash Keen? Iowa boy born at 21 weeks gestation earns Guinness World Records ‘most premature baby’ ever title

Nash Keen, born 133 days early, spent over six months in NICU and is thriving despite initial health concerns.

An Iowa infant, who was delivered at just 21 weeks gestation, has earned the Guinness World Records title for “the most premature baby” of all time.

Iowa boy Nash Keen was born on July 5, 2024, 133 days ahead of his scheduled delivery. (GWR)

The infant named Nash Keen was born on July 5, 2024, 133 days ahead of his scheduled delivery. He weighed under 10 ounces at the time of his birth, making him eligible for entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The child, who is now lovingly referred to as “Nash Potato,” spent over six months in the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children's Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

“Being in the NICU as long as he was, you’d think that he would be, you know, more fragile and stuff. And he’s not. He’s a very determined, curious little boy, and he’s just all smiles all the time,” Mollie, the devoted mom stated.

Mollie lauds medical staff

With his birth at 147 days, Nash outlived the previous holder of the title of “world's most premature baby” by just one day.

Mollie hailed the medical staff who put their best foot forward to keep little Nash’s heart beating.

“One of the things I noticed about the medical team is that they were very calm,” the mother told the AP.

“You never really saw them, like, get anxious or anything. And so we kind of just learned to, like, watch them. And if, you know, if the doctors and the nurses weren’t freaking out, there was no reason for us to freak out.”

Dr. Malinda Schaefer warned Mollie and her husband about health issues in child

Dr. Malinda Schaefer, the obstetrician who delivered Nash, told the Associated Press that she warned Mollie and her husband Randall that their unborn child might have severe health issues.

“It is really important to me to have honest and open conversations with parents, so they feel fully informed to make the best decision for them and their family,” the doctor said.

Nash is getting stronger every day and is headed toward meeting typical child development milestones, even though he needs oxygen to breathe and a feeding tube to get nourished.