The Birth Of Preterm Births Essay

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.

In addition to infant mortality, infant survivors of LBW and preterm delivery, often experience greater problems in childhood and adulthood. Some of these experiences include higher rates of respiratory illness, impaired growth, cognitive and emotional deficiencies, lower academic achievement and risk of hypertension, diabetes and mental health issues (Behrman and Butler, 2007, Conley and Bennett, 2000 and Raikkonen et al., 2007). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) report that African American pregnancies are at an elevated risk for poor birth outcomes. Figure 1. shows national birth outcomes for African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian pregnancies, as reported by the CDC in 2013:

One important health disparity is the lack of prenatal care amongst women in socially disadvantaged populations. These predominately include women of minorities, women who have a low income, and the location these women live in. This health disparity is important to address because research has shown that women who receive prenatal care are more likely to conceive babies of a healthy birth weight and have low infant mortality rates than those women who do not receive this prenatal care ("Putting Women 's Health Disparities on the Map," 2009). Therefore, health disparities amongst women in need of prenatal care have lead to preventable infant mortalities amongst women in vulnerable populations. Three reasons why this health disparity is important to address include the following: health disparities in prenatal care lead to lack of access to prenatal care to women in vulnerable populations, there are increased adverse health outcomes for both the infant and mother, and there are excess medical expenses that could otherwise have been prevented. Because “prematurity is the leading cause of newborn death in the United States” (“Healthy Mothers and Healthy babies,” 2013), finding and developing a solution will be extremely beneficial and needs to begin with addressing prenatal care.

Defining premature birth is much more than just a denotative phrase. It is not just a preterm birth, or a baby born early. It is a life-changing event, and something that affects millions of people worldwide. The intense quiet room with heart monitors beeping, as parents see their baby and are devastated. Loved ones can not feed them or kiss them nor, can they not hold them or hug them. They do not get the same experience as others. Little miracles lay inside these cubes where multiple wires are help keeping them alive. A place where prayers happen, and where all hope for the best. Nobody knows the true pain and struggle behind a preterm birth and it needs to be discussed. Prematurity is a serious conflict; therefore, it needs more awareness as many families are facing this tough situation.

Death and illnesses among women, infant, and child are preventable. In pregnancy, existing health risks can distinguish or prevent any future health problems for women and their children. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2016), some high-risk factors that may consider are the following: hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, depression, genetic conditions, sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco and alcohol abuse, inadequate nutrition and unhealthy weight. By having this government Healthy 2020 initiative, factors that can affect the pregnancy and childbirth such as poverty,

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

Immediately after birth, the newborn has an identification band put on. One band is put on the ankle, one on the wrist. The newborn has footprints done immediately. Included on the footprint sheet are the newborn’s name, sex, DOB, time of birth, and mother’s health record.

According to Healthy People 2020, "Improving the well-being of mothers, infants, and children, is an important public health goal for the United States. Their well-being determines the health of the next generation and can help predict future public health challenges for families, communities, and the health care system" (Healthy People 2020, 2015). Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday, while fetal mortality is defined as the intrauterine death of a fetus at any gestational age (MMRW, 2013 and MacDorman, Kirmeyer & Wilson, 2012). In the United States an estimated 13,000 fetal deaths occurred ≥ 28 weeks gestation making up 28% of all perinatal deaths in 2006, the latest year with available national data (Lee,

Multiple studies have been conducted on infant mortality and preterm birth in the United States. Many have identified how the rate of infant mortality and preterm birth is twice as high among African Americans women than White American women in the United States.(Orr et. al,2012; Dole et al,2004;Collins,2002) some studies convey socioeconomic as a major factor of preterm birth among African American’s. As Kleinman conveys in Racial differences in low birthweight: Trendsand risk factors when socioeconomic status increases the risk of giving birth to an infant of low birthweight decreases. On the other hand, there are some studies that convey high differences of preterm birth between black and white women of equal socioeconomic status.(Dole et

Socioeconomic conditions also played a role in my preterm birth, because I live with someone who smoked cigarettes and also used illicit drugs from time to time. As a result I delivered a baby girl at 24 weeks gestation which is 16 weeks premature and was just two weeks beyond the point of viability. My child weighed 1 lb. 8 oz. and was 12 inches long. The psychological effects after the birth of my child were even more devastating. Knowing that the situation could have been prevented has always weighed heavy on my mind as my child battle with many issues due to her prematurity. These issues resulted in the use of oxygen, and apnea monitor, and also a feeding tube. In the beginning there were many developmental delays such as, she did call until she was one years old and she did not walk until she was two years old. Though those were the short term effects, there are also long-term effects such as lack of confidence and attention deficit disorder. Vision problems are another long- term effect that my daughter suffered from preterm birth. In many cases, the retina will detach from the eye causing blindness around the actual due date. Fortunately for me and my daughter we were able to avoid the detachment but we still have to deal with the vision problems caused by early delivery.

Infant mortality is and has been an issue for a very long time. It can be defined as the rate of deaths that happen before a child’s first birthday (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). A consequence of infant mortality is the mental health of the family that must deal with the death of a child; when one loses a child very early it can be difficult to cope with and the parents might develop depression. There are several risk factors for infant mortality, including congenital abnormalities, being born preterm, having a low birth weight, and lower socioeconomic status of the child’s family. Furthermore, a problem such as this is contingent upon access to health care; third-world countries and impoverished areas might have little to no access to health care, therefore, increasing the risk of complications with a pregnancy. A mother must have prenatal care to support good health for the baby.

Prenatal care is medical care for pregnant woman and is important for a healthy pregnancy. Its key components include regular checkups and prenatal testing, eating healthfully, exercising, and beginning as soon as one knows she is pregnant.

Preterm Birth is one of the most important and interesting topics to any prospective parent. One of the reasons is because it happens so often and unexpectedly. Preterm Birth has become a personal interest in research simply because it has made a tremendous impact in my life. Having a Preterm Birth has taught me lots of things, such as, to grow as a person and as a mother, to see things from a different perspective, to get up, continue with my life, and perhaps to learn how to say “good bye” to a little one without even saying “hello.” For all the reasons above, there are some questions I would like to address: Why do preterm births happen and how can it be prevented? What kind of help is offered to parents and family members who go through the process of having a preterm birth? How effective and relevant is that help?

Birth of a child can be such a happy time, especially when the little one is very healthy. We all have seen the movies when a new child is born, some of us are lucky to see it first hand. Some of us do get goose bumps, me being one of them. It is just so exciting to see that little life come out of what has been in that big belly for nine months. We sometimes refer to the birth of a child as labor. If only it was as easy as the name sounds. However, it is not. There are three main stages in birth. The first stage is the longest stage that can last 12 to 14 hours with the first birth, and later births are shorter. Dilation and effacement of the cervix take place here. That is when the uterine contractions gradually become more frequent and

While some women who received no prenatal care had normal, uncomplicated births, others did not. Most of the women who did not receive adequate prenatal care gave birth to an underweight and underdeveloped infant. Among the benefits of early, comprehensive prenatal care are decreased risk of preterm deliveries and low birth weight (LBW)-both major predictors of infant morbidity and mortality. (Dixon, Cobb, Clarke, 2000). Preterm deliveries, deliveries prior to 37 weeks of gestation, have risen. Since the studies in 1987, which showed the rate of preterm deliveries as 6.9% of births, the 1997 rate shows an increase to 7.5%. Low birth weight, defined as an infant weighing less than 2500 grams (5lbs. 5oz) is often preceded by preterm delivery. Low