November is National Prematurity Awareness Month, and Monday, November 17, is World Prematurity Day. This month, individuals, groups and organizations around the world will provide information on the impact of early births on babies and their families.

What are Premature Births? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), a baby born at 40 weeks is defined as full term; however, if born 3 weeks prior to its due date, the baby is considered premature.

The March of Dimes  stated that 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide each year (March of Dimes, 2013). In fact, the U.S. ranks sixth in countries that account for two-thirds of preterm births. Equally surprising, in the U.S., 1 in every 9 babies, or about 450,000 babies, are born prematurely (March of Dimes, 2013). In Texas alone, 12.3 percent of babies were born premature. Of those percentages, African-American women were more likely to deliver a premature baby regardless of  their age, income and education level (Unnatural Causes, 2008). Health Implications associated with premature births include:

  • Feeding and digestive problems
  • Breathing problems such as Respiratory Distress Syndrome
  • Severe infections
  • Jaundice
  • Brain injury
  • Retinopathy
  • Anemia
  • Hearing Loss
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Intellectual disabilities later in life

But there is good news! In 2013, thanks to the collaborative efforts of several organizations, premature deliveries have declined to just 11.4 percent nationwide. However, there’s still a long way to go. With all of the workshops and resources available, it’s still up to the individual to work toward decreasing the likelihood of a premature birth. Here are some ways individuals can decrease the possibility of premature labor:

  • Preconception Health – Prior to pregnancy, women and men alike should visit with a primary care physician in preparation for the pregnancy. They also should  continue eating healthy, maintain a physical activity routine, research family health history, update necessary immunizations, reduce stress and avoid products containing alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs. Additionally, women should take a multivitamin that includes at least 400 mg. of folic acid.
  • Early Prenatal Care – As soon as pregnancy is suspected, a doctor’s appointment should be scheduled. This will confirm pregnancy and a due date. A physical exam, ultrasound and several tests may be ordered, as well as a family health history will be taken. The earlier prenatal appointments begin, the probability of prenatal and fetal complications that can lead to premature births can reduce.
  • Watch your Weight – Moms should eat a balanced diet with the appropriate amounts of folic acid, iron, calcium, Vitamin D and minerals while avoiding seafood high in mercury. Primary care physicians will work with pregnant  individuals to develop an appropriate eating and physical activity plan. This may decrease unhealthy weight gain or preventable diseases. Both can  contribute negatively to premature deliveries.
  • No Stress – Prenatal stress during pregnancy has been associated with miscarriages, premature births and low weight. Additionally, behavioral and emotional difficulties later in life can be attributed to stressful pregnancies. That is why it’s important to find suitable coping strategies to avoid or limit stressful situations.
  • Food Safety – Although rarely discussed, bacteria such as listeria, toxoplasmosis, salmonella, and campylobacter  severely can impact a pregnancy. Exposure may lead to premature birth, birth defects, later learning disabilities and even intrauterine or infant death. To avoid the likelihood of ingesting  harmful bacteria, follow the  four principles of food safety: clean, separate, cook and chill. Click on the following link for more information on the food safety principles.  http://homefoodsafety.org/food-poisoning/four-easy-steps

The prevalence of premature births is a worldwide epidemic impacting families and communities. However, with access to preventative care, resources and information, families can become aware of  lifelong implications and take steps to have happy, healthy full-term babies.

Source:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Four easy steps. http://homefoodsafety.org/food-poisoning/four-easy-steps

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Preconception health and health care-Information for men. http://www.cdc.gov/preconception/men.html

Center for Disease Control. (2014). Preconception health and health care-Planning for pregnancy.  http://www.cdc.gov/preconception/planning.html

Center of Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). National Prematurity Awareness Month-What is premature births? http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PrematureBirth/

California Newsreel. (2008). Unnatural causes: Is inequality making us sick? http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/about_the_series.php

March of Dimes. (2012). Born too soon: The global action report on preterm birth. http://www.marchofdimes.org/materials/born-too-soon-the-global-action-report-on-preterm-birth.pdf

March of Dimes. (2014). Texas premature report card. https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/pdflib/998/premature-birth-report-card-Texas.pdf

March of Dimes. (2014). U.S. premature birth report card. http://www.marchofdimes.org/materials/premature-birth-report-card-united-states.pdf 

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