Premature Birth: The Life of a Premature Baby
“Babies born before thirty-seven weeks of gestation are classified of premature”, (Boenker). Premature babies usually are underweight and highly need specialty medical care. “The number of premature births is increasing and occurs in eight to ten percent of all pregnancies in the United States” (“Premature Baby Stats”). Premature births can cause lifetime affects on infants as well as life changing events for their families.
Some of the causes of premature births are:
Previous premature birth, miscarriage, or multiple abortions.
History of kidney disease.
Structural problems in the uterus such as weakened cervix, heart-shaped and divided uterus.
Prenatal complications such as placental problems, insufficient amount of amniotic fluid, uterine fibroids, preeclampsia or toxemia, early rupture of the membranes, infection of the uterus, multiple babies, obesity, being very underweight from undernourishment.
In some instances the risk of premature births are caused by cigarette smoking, drug abuse, and the lack of prenatal care, (Sears, Premature Baby Book, Pages 5 & 6).
Prior to the delivery of the baby, mothers can receive steroid injections to help mature the lungs of the fetus. Once the infant is born, doctors and nurses monitor the baby’s respiratory status and evaluates if the baby needs assistance with breathing. Using a sensor taped to the infant’s foot or hand monitors the oxygen level in the blood. Based on the evaluation, infants may either need positive forced pressure blown into the nose to make breathing easier or may have to be placed on a ventilator attached to a tube inserted through the infant’s mouth into the lungs. Infants are heavily sedated, g...
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Uebel, P. (1999). A case study of antenatal distress and consequent neonatal respiratory distress. Neonatal Network. 18 (5). 67-70
Length of gestation (i.e., number of weeks in utero) and weight at birth are both related to birth risk. Demonstrate your awareness of key related concepts by discussing the concepts of prematurity, low birth weight, and extremely low birth weight.
Cook Children NICU receives around one thousand babies per year. Since the new unit was opened two years ago, they have single rooms where the parents can stay with their babies overnight, and it is controlled individually according to the patients’ needs. In the single rooms they are able to accommodate twins, triplets and quadruplets. According to Carolyn Cowling (personal communication, April.18, 2014), who is the LCSW, preemies have shown an incredible improvement in their health and are able to go home faster because they have a quicker recovery. Single rooms also allow parents to be with their infants all the time they want, even spending the night with them. Since most of them are there for a long run, it provides the feeling of being in their home.
Neonatal nursing is a field of nursing designed especially for both newborns and infants up to 28 days old. The term neonatal comes from neo, "new", and natal, "pertaining to birth or origin”. Neonatal nurses are a vital part of the neonatal care team. These are trained professionals who concentrate on ensuring that the newborn infants under their care are able to survive whatever potential life threatening event they encounter. They treat infants that are born with a variety of life threatening issues that include instances of prematurity, congenital birth defects, surgery related problems, cardiac malformations, severe burns, or acute infection. Neonatal care in hospitals was always done by the nursing staff but it did not officially become a specialized medical field until well into 1960s. This was due to the numerous advancements in both medical care training and related technology that allowed for the improved treatment and survival rate of premature babies. According to the March of Dimes, one of every thirteen babies born in the United States annually suffers from low birth weight. This is a leading cause in 65% of infant deaths. Therefore, nurses play a very important role in providing round the clock care for these infants, those born with birth defects or other life threatening illness. In addition, these nurses also tend to healthy babies while their mothers recover from the birthing process. Prior to the advent of this specialized nursing field at risk newborn infants were mostly cared for by obstetricians and midwives who had limited resources to help them survive (Meeks 3).
Tobacco use during pregnancy is another environmental influence. The nicotine, carbon monoxide, and many other harmful chemicals mixed together in cigarettes are very harmful to the mother and especially the unborn child. This can cut off the baby’s oxygen supply, increase the risk of
When you are pregnant, you are not just "eating for two." You also breathe and drink for two, so it is important to carefully consider what you give to your baby. If you smoke, use alcohol or take illegal drugs, so does your unborn baby.
There are more than 70% of premature babies that are born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation a year. When a baby is born early, or born with birth defects, the Neonatal Intensive Care unit is its first home. The nurse’s in the NICU have the difficult job of preparing baby’s and parents for a health life together. A baby who has been put into the NICU will stay there until it is healthy enough to go home.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, premature birth comes with several known risk factors or causes; however, even if these known risk factors are not present, a woman can still have a premature baby. Some of these risk factors for prematurity include: carrying more than one baby, having a previous preterm birth, problems with the cervix or uterus, chronic health problems in the mother, certain infections during pregnancy, alcohol use, or cigarette smoking. When a woman has chronic health problems (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or clotting disorders), the baby is affected physically also, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2009). Along with these chronic health problems, a woman has to consider her environment and how it becomes the baby’s environment also. If a woman smokes or drinks alcohol the baby is receiving all of the toxins that are deadly to a developing fetus and that also have no nourishment qualities whatsoever.
In America, 1 out of 8 children are born premature. The earlier a child is born from their suggested due date, the poor severe the condition the child can receive. With health conditions of the mother, that may be a main reason why a child may become premature. Women with uterine, cervical abnormalities, or having twins, triplets, etc. may cause a risk of preterm labor. A women’s health is a main factor of how their child may come out. Smoking, drinking, use of illegal drugs may cause women to have preterm labor as well. To...
A baby’s arrival can be very joyful for a first time mother in a way that it brings particular challenges and experiences that could change a life forever. When a baby is born premature it can discomfort the family knowing that they’re child is at risk and even exposed to death. Some of the premature babies come for the first time in the world with a defect that causes agony in the family and especially in the mother. Premature babies are a very important issue in today’s society because it involves the health of a new born. The birth of premature babies can be prevented with the help of families and the community. Therefore people have to take action in raising money for preemies to take advantage of new technology since they have a less chance to survive compared to 9-month baby.
Were born prematurely, especially those who were born at a gestational age of less than 32 weeks.
A neonatologist has many tasks and responsibilities before, during, and after the birth of an at-risk newborn. If there is reason to believe there are going to be complications with a birth that would cause negative side effects for the infant, a neonatologist will be brought in to help. In these high-risk situations, a team effort is required and the neonatologist takes the lead position. The neonatologist will be responsible for advising the parents on what to expect during and after labor. After the infant is born, the neonatologist has to find a method to properly care for the baby. Because most premature babies have a low birth-weight, their lungs need to be supported and they need to be kept warm. During this whole process, the neonatologist interacts with the parents to keep them updated on their baby’s condition (Weaver, 2009).
The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome triples if the mother has smoked during pregnancy. “It is estimated that twenty-five percent of expectant mothers in the U.S. smoke throughout their pregnancies. According to a report from the Surgeon General, twenty percent of low birth weight births, either percent of preterm deliveries and five percent of all perinatal could be prevented by eliminating smoking during pregnancy.”
Preterm birth is defined as ‘any neonate whose birth occurs before the thirty seventh week of gestation’1 and represents approximately eight percent of all pregnancies1-4. It is eminent that these preterm infants are at risk of physical and neurological delay, with prolonged hospitalisation and an increased risk of long-term morbidity evident in prior literature3, 5-13. Innovative healthcare over the past thirty years has reduced mortality significantly14, with the survival rate of preterm infants having increased from twenty five percent in 1980 to seventy three percent in 200715. Despite, this drop in mortality long-term morbidity continues to remain within these surviving infants sparking a cause for concern15, 16.
This essay covers information over the course of prenatal development. I will also discuss teratology and hazards to the prenatal development, those such as, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and opioids. Additionally, I will discuss how maternal factors such as maternal diet and nutrition, maternal age, emotional states and stress, and paternal factors, may influence prenatal development.