UK's most premature twins who were given ZERO chance of survival now 17 MONTHS old

The mother of the UK's most premature twins says they are going from 'strength to strength' a year after coming home from hospital.

Harley and Harry Crane, from Derbyshire, were given zero per cent chance of survival when they were born in October 2021 at 22 weeks and five days - more than a week before the usual abortion limit.

But the tough siblings beat the odds and came home after 140 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Now 17 months old, the pair are happy and healthy at home. And a year after leaving hospital mother Jade Crane, 41, said she finally no longer feels scared and knows her miracle babies are 'staying here'.

Harley, who was born a tiny 500g, is now a 'crazy' 24lb and is standing up. Her brother Harry was born weighing 520g and has now reached 20lb. He is a little behind developmentally, but is 'trying to crawl around'.

Parents Jade and Steve, 53, who works in sales, said they couldn't be prouder of their twins and were looking forward to their future.

Jade, a former mental health nurse and addiction counsellor, said: 'We are so blessed and lucky to have them doing so well.

'It's so crazy. Last year we were really scared. It was totally new to us. They're here and they are staying here. I feel confident in that now.

'They have gone from strength to strength. Their personalities haven't changed since birth.

'Harley is the feisty one and Harry was Mr Laid-Back. That's how they are now, but amplified. They love each other.'

At 22 weeks pregnant, the mother feared the twins wouldn't survive when she went into labour.

She said: 'They told me they were going to admit me but that I was probably having a miscarriage.

'The doctor kept saying it was a miscarriage, but I said it couldn't be because I could feel the babies moving.

'I knew they were OK but was being told they wouldn't survive at this gestation.'

Abortion law in the UK states that women can terminate a pregnancy up to 24 weeks in most cases - and doctors are not required to medically intervene before.

Luckily for Jade, Queen's Medical Centre, where she was being treated, is a teaching hospital and doctors intervene with babies born 23 weeks and later, she said.

At the time of going into labour, on October 26, 2021, Jade was still 30 hours away from the 23 week mark - but doctors chose to intervene, she said.

Jade said: 'My babies were given a zero per cent chance of survival.

'They were alive, moving around, and they cried. Their little cries sounded like a tiny kitten.'

Little Harley and Harry were intubated and taken to the neonatal intensive care unit where they remained on ventilators.

The twins battled chronic lung disease, a serious gastrointestinal problem called necrotizing enterocolitis and had many operations.

Harley had to have a stoma bag fitted, which has since been removed, and Harry received injections in his eyes to help prevent premature blindness.

Harry came home on March 6 last year and Harley joined him a week later.

Jade said: 'I'm so proud of my babies - they're little fighters.'

Aside from a week back in the hospital when Harley contracted respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the twins are doing well, and both came off oxygen in July last year.

Jade said: 'It was an anxious time. You expect them to be back in hospital. A week later Harley was - with RSV.

'But we've had nothing further despite the bag being packed and ready to go..'

The twins' corrected age is 13 months old and Harley is on track with her milestones.

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