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| My niece, the day after she was born. 10 inches long, 1 lb 2 oz |
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| Me holding her at about 2 months of age. |
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| About 1 month old... |
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| My nephew the day he was born. |
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| About 6 weeks old. |
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| Me holding my nephew, about 6 weeks old. |
In 2004, my sister was expecting her first baby in October. Everything was going perfect until one early morning in June when bleeding and contractions began. My niece was born later that day at 24 weeks of gestation, weighing only 1 pound 2 ounces, despite valiant efforts to stop the preterm labor. It was a horrendous experience to watch my sister and her husband face. None of us knew whether their baby would even live, and then what disabilities she may face if she did live. With the prayers of many friends and family members, and a wonderful team of physicians and nurses in the NICU, after 110 days in the hospital, she came home. She is now a healthy 7-year-old. The following year, we re-lived the experience when my sister had her second child, my nephew, at 27 weeks gestation. He fought the odds as well, and is a rambunctious 6-year-old today. No specific cause was determined for why this happened to her. Although we are so grateful for the outcome, we know that it doesn't always end this well. I have delivered many premature babies and it is heartbreaking to watch the emotional rollercoaster that their families go through.
In the United States, 1 in 8 babies are born too early (less than 37 weeks gestation, or more than 3 weeks too soon). Worldwide, there are 13 million babies born prematurely each year. Prematurity is the number one cause of death for newborns. Today, I looked at Nebraska's "report card" for premature birth, which you can find on the March of Dimes website. We received a C. 11.5% of babies born in Nebraska are premature. Many of those are due to unpreventable causes such as preterm labor or preeclampsia (a high blood pressure and vascular disease of pregnancy), but some can be prevented. There is much research in this area, mostly funded through the March of Dimes, whose aim is for a prematurity rate of 9.6% or less by 2020.
So, what can be done? Two major issues, especially in the state of Nebraska, which contribute to preterm birth, are lack of insurance coverage leading to inadequate prenatal care, and maternal smoking. Another cause, which is improving, is elective preterm birth. Even before 39 weeks of gestation, there are increased rates of prematurity-related health problems for newborns, including breathing problems, feeding problems, and difficulty maintaining body temperature. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has set forth recommendations regarding when an elective induction or repeat cesarean delivery is considered safe. Many hospitals have made these recommendations into hospital policy, and many physicians have adopted these policies even if the hospital does not have specific rules on elective delivery.
As a woman, what you can do is take care of yourself. If you're a smoker, stop smoking. Work on improving your diet and exercise habits. Get prenatal care so that risk factors for preterm birth can be identified and managed for the best possible outcome.
I am so thankful that I did not have the personal experience of delivering a baby prematurely. My hope is that fewer families will have to experience it.
www.marchofdimes.com
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