75% of deaths of premature babies are preventable, says report

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Some 15 million babies are born too soon every year, and 1 million of them will die while many others are disabled – but many of these premature births and deaths are preventable, according to the first report into the global scale of the problem.
...
The report argues that is not the case. Kangaroo mother care, where the tiny baby is placed skin to skin on the mother's chest and stays there for weeks, until they are at the stage where they would have been born, is being taken up in African countries. "That for me has been so inspiring," said Lawn. Trial evidence has shown that it halves the death rate for small babies compared with being in an incubator. The babies gain more weight and feed better.

Steroid injections costing just $1 (60p) a shot, given to women in premature labour, help develop the baby's lungs so they can breathe at birth. This is routine in the developed world but only available for 10% of premature babies in developing countries. That alone could save 400,000 lives a year. Antibiotics can help prevent and treat infection, and antiseptic cream can ensure the cord does not get infected.

Even in developed countries, the rates of pre-term baby deaths are too high among some communities. In the US the pre-term birth rate in 2009 for African Americans was 17.5% compared with 10.9% for white Americans. The age of the mother made a significant difference. In the US the premature birth rate for women aged 20 to 35 was between 11-12% but rose to over 15% for women under 17 and over 40.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/02/premature-baby-deaths-preventable-report?newsfeed=true

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Link to report: http://www.who.int/pmnch/media/news/2012/preterm_birth_report/en/index.html

[Justice wanted]

1. You would think with how "Advance" America is we would be shaded Green... but you know my

"socialists" mind believes the majority of those countries shaded in green have Universal Health Care.

[Iliyah]

2. Profit before

lives, thats the American way, well at least the GOPs way.

[Tsiyu]

3. We're shaded like most of Africa, India and the ME

because the sick, twisted, evil Conservative Christians - and the politicians who do their bidding - don't give two flying fucks about babies OUTSIDE of the womb.

"Keep 'em in the uterus just long enough to be born and die" - the Republican Infant Mortality Strategy.

[Butterbean]

4. Kangaroo care and steroid injections are standard here in the US, so I find some parts of this

story confusing. Is it implying that these things AREN'T the standard of care here in the US? That is incorrect. Also, depending on the gestational age of the baby, kangaroo care is not always possible nor safe.

Regardless, yes, preterm birth rates are high in the US.

[Arugula Latte]

5. Obesity is one key factor helping explain the high rate of preterm births in the U.S.

"Babies born to women who are overweight or obese are more likely to be delivered prematurely, and the heavier the mother's weight, the greater the risk, a study shows.

Obesity is a well-established risk factor for a long list of pregnancy and birth complications, including miscarriage, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery."

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20100720/obesity-may-increase-risk-of-preterm-birth

[Captain Lee]

6. Wife and mom-in-law are high risk L&D nurses

Mom-in-law actually works in NICU with premies. I've learned alot about this issue-I did my master's thesis on I fant mortality in Alabama. One factor that's overlooked is how infant mortality is tracked. In the US, a single breath constitutes a live birth, and thus, a any demise is counted as a mortality. In parts of Europe and Asia, however, a declaration of live birth can be delayed for hours, sometimes longer. If a child is obviously incapable of survival, their birth is not recorded as a live birth and thus does not contribute to mortality rates. So the fact the US is amber and Europe green does not surprise me at all.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. The map is for premature births, not for deaths

Not surprisingly, there are big inequalities in survival rates around the world.

This is highlighted in the US - as, while it is makes the top ten for the highest number of premature births in the world, it is only number 37 for deaths - because of very effective and expensive intensive care.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17905969

[CreekDog]

9. 37th??? Yikes. For the richest nation in the world?

The largest economy?

37th...to be ranked 37th, it's almost as if the nation is trying to do worse than it's resources suggest it should.

[Captain Lee]

11. whups

You are correct. Didn't pay close enough attention to the label. What is impressive is the survival rate of premies in Alabama. The NICU my family works at is impressive, like NASA control room impressive. Glad I don't have to work there.

[4th law of robotics]

13. There are also apparently some differences in how deaths are reported

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_mortality#Comparing_infant_mortality_rates

/although the article states that's probably not the only reason for discrepancies.

[Odin2005]

8. I was a premie, born 9 weeks early in 1986.

I was one of those names on those Child Miracle Network things that were on the walls of some stores, usually WalMart.

[kwassa]

10. My daughter was born 10 weeks premature

2 lbs. 13 ozs.

She is now 95% percentile in height for her age, healthy as can be. Age 5.

She is adopted, African-American from a teenage mother in poor circumstances, who was not obese, by the way.

My daughter is highly intelligent, educationally advanced, a wonderful child. Loving, smart, tons of personality.

[LeftishBrit]

12. You'd think the 'pro-lifers' would be all over this...

but I suspect they won't.