An 11-inch baby, nicknamed "chopstick girl" for her short length, was born weighing just 23 ounces and survived, Fox News reported.
The girl was born in China at only 23 weeks. Doctors had to conduct a hasty procedure on the mother's cervix, which triggered what physicians referred to as a "spontaneous abortion."
The 24-year-old mother was also experiencing problems with her placenta, where it was obstructing all or part of the opening of the cervix.
The parents were aware that the procedure would cause the birth to happen, and said the baby would more than likely die, but she's alive under around-the-clock care in an incubator.
The fact that the baby survived such an ordeal is very rare and almost impossible, Chief of Pediatrics at the Chongqing Southwest Hospital said.
The baby has had a hard time getting the nutrients and medications it needs because her organs and blood vessels aren't fully developed yet from being born so early, the Independent reported.
Local Chinese media nicknamed her "chopstick baby" because she is the same height as a chopstick.
