Photos: Baby Jayla survives being born at 22 weeks

Georgia News

Photos: Baby Jayla survives being born at 22 weeks

Jayla Nicole Jenkins was born after only 22 weeks of gestation and her chances of survival were exceedingly low. But the efforts of doctors and nurses, using new techniques to treat "micro preemies," helped Baby Jayla survive and leave the hospital after 183 days in the NICU.

Jayla Nicole Jenkins was born after only 22 weeks of gestation and her chances of survival were exceedingly low. After extraordinary measures taken by doctors and nurses at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, her parents Audreona Scott and Raekwon Jenkins were able to bring Jayla home. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Baby Jayla was born 18 weeks early at Northeast Georgia Medical Center on March 17, 2022. She weighed only 14.6 ounces and stretched only 10.63 inches, small enough to almost fit in the palm of a hand. This photo was taken shortly after she was born, and shows her parents' hands close by. (Contributed by Audreona Scott)

Audreona Scott prays over Jayla, who is in a baby incubator, a controlled, enclosed and dimly lit environment designed to create conditions similar to the womb. (Contributed)

Baby Jayla was taken to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, where cardiologist Dr. Allen Ligon and his team performed a a new kind of procedure to close an opening in her heart. At the time, the procedure had never been done before on a baby as small as Jayla. (Contributed by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta)

Dr. Ligon says that he was touched by the experience. "It was an honor," he said. "You know going into this it might not end like that and for the mom to to have that trust in me, that is something that never gets lost on me." (Contributed by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta)

After the heart procedure, Jayla improved to the point that her mother Audreona Scott could hold her and eventually feed her by hand. (Contributed by Audreona Scott)

Audreona Scott kept a journal while Jayla was hospitalized. Nurses wrote entries about Jayla's progress and about their experience caring for her. This entry was made when Jayla was 4 months old. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Ater spending 183 days in the NICU, Jayla was ready to go home with her parents. (Contributed)

During a celebration at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, parents Audreona Scott and Raekwon Jenkins thank the doctors and nurses before taking Jayla home. (Contributed)

Baby Jayla and her parents, surrounded by the team of doctors and nurses that cared for the child born 18 weeks early. The team discussed the medical plan for Jayla every day, with some staff members checking in even on their days off. They consulted with doctors at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. (Contributed)

Dr. Cynthia Cabrera holds Jayla before releasing her from the hospital. Not long ago, it would have been almost unheard of to try to save a baby born only 22 weeks into gestation. Cabrerea says that she and her colleagues were committed to Jayla's care despite the stress and uncertainty. "You know the mother wants everything that we can do for her baby," she says. (Contributed)

Nurse Sarah Taylor, a NICU nurse, carries baby Jayla in her car seat as she finally goes home after 183 days in the NICU. Taylor grew close to Jayla and her parents. By the end of Jayla's stay at the hospital, Audreona Scott said she started calling Taylor, "Auntie Sarah." They continue to stay in touch and Taylor checks in on Jayla every week since she's gone home. "I definitely consider it a blessing and honor," said Taylor about caring for Jayla. (Contributed)

Raekwon Jenkins feeds Jayla at a relative's home on a recent day in November. Jayla, now 8 months old and weighing more than 10 pounds, is babbling and close to rolling over. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Audreona Scott says that Jayla loves the sounds of her baby mobile and listening to Mozart, and perks up when her parents read to her. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Audreona Scott shows a diary entry welcoming Jayla into the world. The neonatologist Dr. Cynthia Cabrera said, "She's an inspiration to all of us physicians and everyone involved in her care." (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Audreona Scott says that her experience with Jayla has inspired her to pay it forward. "I felt like I needed to go through this to help someone else, the next 22-weeker." (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

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Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Jayla Nicole Jenkins was born after only 22 weeks of gestation and her chances of survival were exceedingly low. After extraordinary measures taken by doctors and nurses at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, her parents Audreona Scott and Raekwon Jenkins were able to bring Jayla home. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

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