Some States Have More Premature Babies Than Others

Some States Have More Premature Babies Than Others

<a href="http://www.families.com/mamawrites/">by Mary Ann Romans</a>

A new report shows that the odds of you having a premature baby depend on
the state in which you live. The report was issued by the March of Dimes
organization which tracked premature births and gave a report card on the
disparity of premature births by state.

For example, the states with the lowest incidence of premature births tend
to be up north. In Vermont, a woman is least likely to have a premature
baby. Only 9 percent of all births are premature. Oregon and Connecticut
also have low rates of premature births.

When you move down further south of the country, those number rise
dramatically. There are a whopping 18.8 percent of premature births in
Mississippi, the worst state in the union for premature birth rates. West
Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina and Louisiana also have large
percentages of premature births.

Overall in this country about one in eight babies is born premature.
Prematurity can result in all sorts of conditions and medical issues, from
learning disorders to death.

While prematurity is not well understood, the report does give three
factors that may play a role in the difference in the premature birth rates
across the states:

Lack of insurance leading to lack of prenatal care. Risks for preterm labor
can offen be identity and treatment given to women who are at risk.

Smoking. There is a higher incidence of smoking in some of the states that
also have the higher premature birth rates. Overall, the report estimates
that 17 percent of all pregnant women smoke.

Scheduled C-sections. C-sections may purposely be scheduled ahead of full
term (for example to avoid having a large baby), or they may be scheduled
without a good understanding of the age of the fetus.

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Premature Infant

A premature infant is a baby born before 37 weeks.
A premature infant has organs that are not fully grown. The infant needs special care in a nursery until the organ systems have developed enough to sustain life without medical support. This may take weeks to months.

A premature infant will have a low birth weight - less than 5.5 pounds (2500 grams). Common symptoms in a premature infant include:

* Respiratory problems such as hyaline membrane disease (also known as respiratory distress syndrome or RDS)
* Episodes of absent breathing (apnea)
* Poor feeding
* Thin, smooth, shiny, almost translucent skin
* Transparent skin (can see veins under skin)
* Wrinkled features
* Soft, flexible ear cartilage
* Body hair
* Weak cry
* Usually inactive -- however, may be unusually active immediately after birth
* Enlarged clitoris (female infant)
* Small scrotum, smooth without ridges (male infant)

The infant may have a low body temperature and show signs of breathing problems.

When premature labor develops and cannot be stopped medically, the health care team will prepare for a high-risk birth. The mother may be moved to a center that specifically cares for premature infants, for example, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In some cases, medicines called steroids may be given to the mother in help the baby's lungs grow. When born, the baby is moved to a high-risk nursery. The infant is placed under a warmer or in an machine called an isolette, which controls the air temperature.

Since infants are usually unable to coordinate sucking and swallowing before 34 weeks gestation, your baby may have a feeding tube placed into the stomach. In very premature infants, feedings may be done through a vein (intravenously).

If the infant has breathing problems, a tube may be placed into the windpipe (trachea). A machine called a respirator will help the baby breathe. Oxygen is given.

Nursery care is needed until the infant reaches a body weight of about 5 pounds and is able to feed by mouth and maintain body temperature. In very small infants, other problems may complicate treatment and a longer hospital stay may be needed.

Prematurity was formerly a major cause of infant deaths. Improved medical and nursing techniques have increased the survival of premature infants. A greater chance of survival is associated with increasing length of the pregnancy. Of babies born at 28 weeks, approximately 80% survive.

Prematurity is not without long-term effects. A large number of premature infants have medical problems that continue into childhood or permanently. As a rule, the more premature an infant and the smaller the birth weight, the greater the risk of complications. It must be stressed, however, that it is impossible to predict the long-term outcome for an individual baby just on the basis of gestational age or birth weight.

Prevention

One of the most important steps to preventing prematurity is to receive prenatal care as early as possible in the pregnancy, and to continue such care until the baby is born. Statistics clearly show that early and good prenatal care reduces your chance of premature birth and related deaths.

Premature labor can sometimes be treated or delayed by a medication that blocks uterine contractions. Many times, however, attempts to delay premature labor are not successful.

How is the Being Premature monitored?

Babies who are born early usually are carefully monitored, especially for the first year. Very premature babies will be seen by eye and hearing specialists. They will be taken care of by development specialists and breathing specialists. Teams of healthcare providers work together to give these babies as much care as they need to help them develop as normally as possible. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the healthcare provider.

What happens after treatment for Being Premature?

Once the baby is able to breathe on its own, he or she will usually spend some time in the nursery to grow more before going home. When the baby reaches a certain weight, the baby can go home and the parents can try to resume a normal life. But the baby may still need more care than a baby born on time. During the first year, the parents may spend more time in doctor visits with their baby than parents of full term babies.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

Ventilators may damage the baby's lungs. They also may cause chronic breathing problems. High levels of oxygen are sometimes needed to make sure the baby's organs get enough. This can have the side effect of damaging the blood vessels in the eyes. This in turn can cause poor vision. Certain antibiotics can cause trouble with hearing as the baby grows. Very premature babies often need to be fed through the bloodstream instead of through their guts. These babies can develop liver injury as a result.

What are the treatments for Being premature?

Treatment depends on how early a baby is born and its weight at birth. Babies who are born only a few weeks early usually just need time to grow, and time to learn to feed well. They often go home after a short time in the hospital. Usually, the earlier a baby is born, the longer it will stay in the hospital, and the more treatment it will need. The very premature babies are least likely to survive even with the best of care, and those who do survive often have to stay in a specialized hospital for several months.

What are the risks to other babies?

Being premature is, in and of itself, obviously not contagious and poses no risk to other babies. Some infectious conditions in the mother that may have resulted in a premature delivery, could be contagious.