On 21/7, Doctor Du Kim Ngan, Deputy Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Tran Van Thoi General Hospital, reported that the mother was admitted at 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant, past her due date. The doctor determined that the fetus was large, posing a high risk of complications during a vaginal delivery. Therefore, a cesarean section was performed to ensure safety. The baby boy was born weighing 5.8 kg and is the heaviest newborn at the hospital in recent years.

This is the mother's third child. Her first two children were born weighing over 3 kg each. "Fetuses weighing over 4.5 kg, especially close to 6 kg like this baby, often have a risk of obstetric complications, especially when the mother has given birth multiple times," Dr. Ngan said. In this case, the proactive decision to perform a C-section was key to ensuring a completely safe delivery.

Both mother and baby are currently in stable condition and are receiving post-operative care.

The 5.8 kg baby boy at birth. Photo: Vu Linh

Newborns with an average weight of 2.8-3.2 kg are considered normal. The record for the heaviest baby born to date belongs to a 7.1 kg boy delivered via C-section at Vinh Tuong District General Hospital, formerly Vinh Phuc, in 2017. Prior to that, the record was held by a 7 kg baby girl born in Gia Lai in 2008. In 2014, a mother in Quang Nam gave birth to a 6.5 kg baby.

In some cases, heavy birth weight can be attributed to gestational diabetes or maternal obesity. Therefore, babies born with a high birth weight are often closely monitored to prevent and detect any abnormalities early.

Doctors recommend that pregnant women attend regular prenatal checkups. Newborns with high birth weight should be monitored regularly and taken to the hospital for examination if any unusual signs appear.

An Minh