23 Weeks 6 Days
Summary
This episode follows journalist Kelly Benham and her husband Tom as they navigate the birth of their daughter Juniper at 23 weeks and 6 days, a critical threshold for fetal viability. The story explores the ethical and emotional complexities of the NICU, where parents must decide how much medical intervention to pursue for a baby with a high risk of severe disability. Through interviews with neonatologists and ethicists, the show examines the concept of a baby’s "will to live" and the profound grief involved in these decisions. The narrative culminates in Juniper’s survival against the odds…
Topics discussed
Introduction by Pat Walters and origin of the story
Jad Abumrad introduces Kelly Benham and Tom French
Kelly's desire for a daughter and Tom's travel plans
The breakup, reconciliation, and decision to try for a baby
IVF failures and using an egg donor
Early pregnancy complications and severe bleeding
Hearing the heartbeat and the goal to reach 24 weeks
The legal and medical definition of fetal viability
Going into labor at 23 weeks and the odds of survival
The ethical debate on full medical intervention
The birth of Juniper and the immediate aftermath
Radio Lab break and context on the gray zone of viability
First contact with the baby and the NICU environment
The baby's 'will to live' and staff observations
The decision to continue care and parental grief
Life in the NICU and the shift to a different hospital floor
Reading to the baby and monitoring her progress
Medical crisis, the decision to operate, and ethical guidelines
The surgery and the baby's near-death experience
Parental emotional breakdown and the long hospital stay
Discharge from the hospital and first steps home
Juniper's daily life and remaining medical concerns
2026 update: Juniper's current status
Interview with Juniper on school, PTSD, and horses
Credits and closing remarks
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