A Fetal Organ That Is Vital For The Growth Of The Fetus During Pregnancy

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2016), preterm birth are the birth that happened before 37 ended weeks of pregnancy and is one of the number reason of newborn deaths and the second prominent cause of deaths in children below five. The preterm babies have chances of an amplified risk of illness, disability and death. In the first weeks, the complications of premature birth may include: breathing problems, heart problems, brain problems, temperature control problems, gastrointestinal problems, blood problems, metabolism problems, immune system problems. Long-term complications includes cerebral palsy, impaired cognitive skills, vision problem, hearing problems, dental problems, behavioral and psychological problems, chronic health issues.

Neonatal RDS is a condition of increasing respiratory distress commencing at or shortly after birth (BAPM-2006). It’s the single most important cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants (Greenough, et al 2004). Typically RDS affects preterm infants with the incidence being inversely proportional to the gestational age (Stewart 2005) Approximately 60% of those born before 28 weeks gestation are affected (Fraser, et al 2004) Incidence also increases in infants of diabetic mothers those born via elective caesarean section (Fraser, et al 2004) and perinatal asphyxia (Rodriguez, 2003).

Placenta is firmly attached to the uterine wall during pregnancy. Cocaine use can lead to separation of placenta from the uterine wall before delivery and this can result in

**Placenta previa** is a condition where the placenta blocks the cervix. Sometimes placenta previa has no symptoms at all but can sometimes cause sudden vaginal bleeding, pain in the lower back and abdomen and contractions.

Premature birth is an important public health priority in terms of health of women and infants. Every year an estimated 15 million preterm babies are born and this number is still rising (WHO, 2015).In 2014, 1 of every 10 babies born in United States were premature and black infants were 50% more likely to be born premature than white, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific islander infants (CDC,2015). Almost 1 million children die each year due to complications of premature birth (WHO, 2015). Major survivors face lifelong disabilities like learning disabilities, hearing, visual, feeding, digestive, breathing and respiratory problems (CDC, 2015) and low birth weight (March of Dimes, 2014). A major challenge in decreasing the rate of preterm birth is

Infant deaths in the neonatal period are caused by complications arising from preterm births, birth defects, maternal health conditions, complications of labor and delivery, and lack of access to appropriate care at the time of delivery. Infant deaths in the post-neonatal period are driven by sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) (including sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS]), injury, and infection (MMRW, 2013). An increasing proportion of post-neonatal infant deaths occur among infants who were born preterm but survived the neonatal period (Callaghan, 2006). On the other hand there is lesser knowledge of the incidence and etilogy of fetal mortality which according to MacDorman et al, makes fetal mortality an overlooked public health issue. Lee et al, echoed the same idea when they said infant mortality has been the main focus of public health programming while fetal deaths have gone untargeted. However, with the decrease in infant mortality rates there have been recent approaches such as perinatal period of risk analysis framework (PPOR) that highlight the need to include fetal

Premature birth has been linked to a vast array of lungs problems, the earlier the birth the greater risk of health complications(Davis R and Mychaliska G, 2013). A majority of the health problems will affect the infant for the rest of their life (Davis R and Mychaliska G, 2013). Infants born between the canalicular and the saccular period (week 25) have lung development that is unsuitable for gas exchange (Davis R and Mychaliska G, 2013). Two major complications that arise with undeveloped lungs is bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (Mahgoub L. et al. 2017).

A common teratogen that causes problems in pregnancy is the use of methamphetamine, a stimulant that affects a person’s central nervous system, by the potential father or mother. Research on methamphetamine abuse among pregnant women is in progress and has been for several years, but the exact effects of prenatal exposure to this drug are still actually limited. It is common for a child of a mother who used meth during pregnancy to have brain development problems. The National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA), (2013) informs us that there have been only small samples of pregnant women researched for only using methamphetamine, therefore, the results are limited to knowing that “neurobehavioral problems such

gestational age, and other medical issues (Tin & Gupta, 2007). The question is because many

Anything a mother consumes will affect her baby’s health, either positively or negatively. After the sperm enters into the egg, instantly, the baby begins to grow inside of the placenta, which is inside of the mothers’ uterus. “The placenta has been described as a pancake-shaped organ that attaches to the inside of the uterus and is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord.” As the placenta produces the hormones for the baby, it also supplies the blood to the fetus from the mother. The most important element that allows the fetus to grow is the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is composed of three blood vessels that attach to the placenta and the fetus. All of these components help the baby’s growth, but the amniotic sac, which is composed of amniotic fluid, helps protect the fetus. The amniotic fluid helps the baby maintain a regular body temperature that

According to the World Health Organisation [WHO] (2014) pre-term babies are at increased risk of illness, disability and death. It also states that globally 15 million babies are born pre-term and the figures are rising. In England and Wales during 2012 7.3% of live births were pre-term under 37 weeks nearly 85% of all babies born prematurely will have a very low birth weight (Office for National Statistics, 2012). Pre-term birth is associated with respiratory complications and lung disease, long-tern neurological damage and problems with bowel function (Henderson & Macdonald, 2011). Neonatal services provide care to babies who are born prematurely or are ill and require specialist care. It is seen that sixty per cent of infant deaths occur in the neonatal period (DH,

Now, medical advances make it possible for even the most severe premature babies to survive. Preterm babies as young as 22 to 23 weeks gestation can survive, but the costs associated with them is high (Kornhauser & Schneiderman, 2010). The higher cost is attributed to the extended hospital stay of micro preemies in Level 3 NICU (Bird, 2014). Level 3 NICU offers a wide range of neonatal services that include special imaging techniques, advanced ventilation

Some of these interventions are as simple as waiting a few more seconds before clamping the cord at delivery and/or milking the umbilical cord, to more advanced interventions such as mechanical ventilation. With any medical intervention, there are side effects and long-term disabilities that may occur in relation to the intervention itself. In the high-intensity NICU, it comes down to weighing the positives and negatives, and choosing the option that will give the neonate the greatest outcome and the best fighting chance of survival. More research needs to be done to determine the long term effects of some of the interventions mentioned in this paper, and how the formerly preterm neonates are living with a disability they may have acquired as a result of those interventions. All medical professionals can hope for is that when a patient comes through the door, they receive the best and most up-to-date care possible, while also remaining free of long term negative effects. As with any population, premature infants - especially those born before 28 weeks of gestation, require strong-willed support from the staff, as well as from their families. It is not easy to care for such fragile human beings, but in the end, when the interventions work, and those neonates are healthy enough to move on with their lives and go home, it all becomes worth

The ethics surrounding selling fetal body parts is immoral. According to the law (42 U.S. Code 289g), selling organs and tissue from aborted fetuses for research purposes is against the federal law. The biblical view expressed in Psalm 139 mention that abortion is opposed to God and his righteousness.

Najate Achamrah and Agnes Ditisheim believe that defective placenta releases many factors to the maternal circulation such as, pro-inflammatory cytokines, syncytiotrophoblast micro particles, angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors which is in turn cause endothelial cell dysfunction and increase vascular resistance that result in the maternal syndrome. (Najate Achamrah & Agnes Ditisheim, 2018).