Prematurity Awareness Month
Throughout November, it is important to look at National Prematurity Awareness Month and celebrate little success and act. This month offers us the opportunity to reflect on the nearly 400,000 babies born preterm each year in the United States and what we can do about it – collectively.
What are the stats?
Alarmingly, the CDC reports that about 1 in 10 babies are born preterm, or before completing the normal 37 to 40 weeks of pregnancy. More recent data suggests that there has been an increase in this trend and that this trend is directly correlated to cultural barriers, young or advanced age of the mother, substance misuses or abuse, stress, depression, carrying more than one baby, and poverty. While there are many other factors, these seem to be the most prevalent ones today. Also, it is important to take note that lack of access to quality healthcare, discrimination, and underemployment also play a role into premature births.
What we understand and do not understand
There are not many evidenced-based reasons as to why babies are born too soon. Even a birth giver who does all the right things can still deliver too early. What we do know and how we are able to reduce preterm births are that we can prevent unintended pregnancies and achieve an ideal length of time between these pregnancies (i.e., space the pregnancy). We can provide women to access health care before and in between pregnancies to help manage chronic conditions and modify other risk behaviors. Collectively, we can discourage providers from having deliveries before 39 weeks unless it is medically necessary! We can also elect to transfer one embryo if we are doing In vitro fertilization (IVF). By reducing the number of embryos to be potentially implanted, we also reduce the risk of multiple births.
Why Prematurity matters
Fetal development is a wondrous and delicate process, meant to last nine months. Premature birth affects all of a baby’s vital systems: respiratory (lungs at 34 weeks are half their size at term; cardiovascular; gastrointestinal; immunologic; brain and central nervous system; hearing; vision.
When babies are born early, their life support, placenta, and umbilical cord are cut, and they must breathe, eat, keep warm on their own. Their lungs, gastrointestinal organs, and bodies are not yet mature, ready to take on these functions. The lights, sounds, procedures, prods, equipment, and touches of the NICU overwhelm their systems. For babies born early, growth and development out of utero take precious energy, calories, brain activity. It is a testament to the premature human body and spirit, the caring and devotion of their caregivers, and the knowledge and dedication of NICU providers and medical researchers that preterm babies, some little more than half gestated, survive and thrive every day.
How do we spread the message?
There are many ways to spread the message of awareness. One can donate to their local chapter (such as March of Dimes), educate patients, families, and friends about the risk factors for premature births and ask for support.
Here at MontanaTherapyForMoms, that is what we do! We educate (whether it is on proper nutrition), we discuss stressful events and how to lower them, and offer collaborative care with others if needed.
Written By: Lital Diament MA LMFT & mother