ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - An Illinois couple will have extra reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving as their premature daughter finally went home after spending six months at Saint Louis Children’s Hospital.

Frankie, born to Macy Ward and Aaron Coates, weighed 1-pound, 12-ounces and was born nearly four months premature. The hospital staff threw a goodbye party when the baby went home today.

Early arrival and complications

Ward’s ordeal started in May when she went into preterm labor at only 25 weeks into her pregnancy.

“She was just kind of ready to come out,” Ward said.

Ward had been diagnosed with subchorionic hemorrhage weeks earlier. She said doctors told her that her unborn baby’s survival rate was below 50 percent.

“We were prepared for the worst,” Ward said. “I was li

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