5-month-old baby declared dead, found alive later: Is it a case of suspended animation?

Read to know the guidelines that a doctor has to follow before declaring a baby dead.

The news of a 5-month-old aborted foetus found alive after doctors declaring it stillborn is all over the internet. According to the reports, the doctors at Safdarjung Hospital declared the baby dead on birth and handed her to the family. However, when the family took the baby for cremation, the baby was moving his fingers and legs. The family has approached the police and have accused the doctors of medical negligence. Is it possible to be alive after being declared dead? We asked our expert Dr Y.S. Nandanwar, Head of Department, obstetrics & gynaecology, Sion Hospital, Mumbai on the guidelines that a doctor has to follow before declaring a baby dead.

Dr Nandanwar says, "Ideally, if a resident doctor has come across such a situation in which a newborn dies, then it is advised to wait for at least 2 hours before informing the family or parents about the same. This is because in some cases there is a temporary suspension of the functions and the child might show some movements due to muscle spasms." According to Dr Y.S. Nandanwar, "There are some cases reported in which the functioning of the heart and lungs stops for a while, but the baby can breathe later. This could be due to a condition known as suspended animation." (Read: 5 reasons that lead to early infant death)

What is a suspended animation?

It is a condition in which there is a temporary suspension of the functioning of the vital organs such as heart, lungs, etc. The condition is seen in 1 in 2 - 3 lakh patients. In such a case, the infant or the person is put on a ventilator to revive the organ functioning. However, the chances of survival are very rare and depend on various factors including the weight of the infant, gestational age, overall health and response to the treatment. Unlike common belief that neonates are at high risk of this condition, it can happen to a child who has had normal delivery and even to an adult. Also read about what is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?

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