Information
What is a premature birth?
see also Wikipedia
Why is premature birth an important problem?
How can I prevent having a premature birth?
Britain tops premature baby league table
By Beezy Marsh, Health Correspondent, Sunday TelegraphLast Updated: 1:30am GMT 08/01/2007
British women are giving birth to more premature babies than anywhere else in Europe, a new study will reveal.
The findings will fuel concern that the combination of mothers-to-be in the UK working until late in their pregnancies and high levels of stress are leading to an increase in early births.
Britain's place at the top of a league table of 10 European countries emerged after experts, led by researchers from Leicester University and Leicester Royal Infirmary, examined statistics on the spontaneous births of babies born as early as 23 weeks — more than three months short of a full pregnancy. Read more
Prem baby survival rates revealed (April 2008)
A major study has found no significant improvement in the survival rate for very premature babies over the last 10 years, the BBC has learned. Read more
Pre-Eclampsia
Every year in the UK, almost 70,000 women and their families are affected by pre-eclampsia. It is a peculiar illness which only occurs during pregnancy. It's peculiar because a woman can have it but feel quite well, the signs of it can appear incredibly quickly, there is no way of preventing it and no one knows for certain what causes it. Pre-eclampsia can be a dangerous, even life-threatening condition to both mother and baby but one of the key symptoms can be detected, very simply, with a urine test. Read more
What is the role of endocrinology?
Premature babies may suffer later 22.06.01
Early Risers
Premature babies can suffer subtle ill-effects later on at school - so why aren't they allowed to defer entry? Louise Tickle 2008 Read more
see also http://www.gurbutt.co.uk/
Being Electric Ermintrude - a very informative article written by a mother of a premature baby (Amy Silverston) on the issue of Breast Feeding and using Breast Pumps. 01.08.01
The battle to give every baby an equal start in life
- discusses the issue of funding Special Care Baby Units in the UK. Read more
Folic Acid Pills 'inadquate' 9 Sept 2001
Premature Baby Premature Child. Parent support for the long term effects of prematurity. (USA)
Premature birth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RSV
RSV stands for respiratory syncytial vius and causes cold-like symptoms. It can cause breathing difficulties if the lungs are affected. If my baby is premature and at risk for RSV, how can I keep him from getting it?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or bronchiolitis
- Clean hands before touching the baby.
- Ask friends and relatives not to visit if they have a cold, fever or sore throat.
- Respiratory illness: Know the signs and symptoms.
- Educate: Inform yourself, family and friends what to expect raising a preemie.
- Smoking: Don't allow anyone to smoke in your home.
What is HELLP syndrome?
Read more
Premature babies are more likely to have early problems with their hearing (such as glue ear) and sight, such as crossed eyes or a squint. These may get better without treatment as the baby gets older, but it is worth detecting them in case treatment is needed. All premature babies and babies that have low weight when they are born should have routine eye tests for retinopathy of prematurity and other eye problems, as the eyes finish developing late in pregnancy. (if in doubt check it out!)
Read more
Glue ear - a frequent cause of deafness in children-could be a result of gastric reflux, which results in stomach proteins accumulating in the middle ear via the Eustachian tube, suggest authors of a research letter in THE LANCET. Read more
Glue Ear (Download factsheet From RNID)
Dyslexia
Premature birth, lack of oxygen and birth trauma can contribute to or cause delayed or incomplete development of any part of a baby’s brain, resulting in learning problems.
Hemangiomas (Strawberry Naevus)
Your baby is more likely to have a hemangioma if it is female, Caucasian (White), and/or premature.
Inguinal hernias are very common in premature infants. In all male fetuses, during development, there is an opening that connects the abdominal cavity (which contains intestines and other organs) to the scrotum. Normally, this opening closes before birth. Premature infants (and even some full-term ones) may be born before this opening fully closes. When that happens, a small loop of intestine can slip through the opening and end up in the scrotum, where it is felt as a mass or lump.
BLISS guide for parents
BLISS, the premature baby charity, has a new guide to help parents deal with the stress of premature and sick newborn babies. The 75 page guide, produced in association with the Tesco Baby Club, is free to all parents of sick and premature babies attending neonatal units. It has advice on all aspects of special care, reference information, an appointments calendar and an immunisation record. (2003)
Excellent! If you don't have one then give them a ring or email them
Nutrition for premature babies (from Babycentre.co.uk)
Ready Steady Baby
To find up-to-date information about pregnancy, childbirth and caring for your new baby up to the first few months after birth.
Assessing very Premature Babies
Read more
Critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine: ethical issues.
Read the Nuffield Council on Bioethics Report
Adobe can be downloaded free of charge from www.adobe.com
Neonatology (US)
My Sick Newborn. Answers to Commonly Asked Questions. (US)
Resources for new parents of premature babies (US)
Stress Hormones And Premature Babies (US)
Why do some premature children born under chronic stress get to have more chances of surviving compared with those who are born free of stress? Why do intrauterine steroids stimulate surfactant?
A Primer on Preemies from Kidshealth.org (US)
Common NICU Diagnoses from Kidshealth.org (US)
When your child is born with a health problem from Kidshealth.org (US)
Study shows Premature babies are not significantly different from full term babies later in life
A new study conducted by a researcher at McMaster University shows no significant difference between prematurely born babies and full-term babies in young adulthood and adulthood. This study compared educational attainment, study and work roles, independant living, marriage and parenthood between 166 low birth weight children and 145 "normal" birth weight children.
The children/adults were compared at age 8, as teenagers and again between the ages of 22 and 25. No significant differences between the two groups was found which is surprising since about 25% of prematurely born babies experience difficulties in childhood while only 2% of full-term babies experience difficulties.
Lost and Found. A Poem by Maren Peterson-DeGroff
If you would like to see more stories and poems on Premature Births then click here.
Click here to read some Premature baby prayers
Value of time - John Maxwell,
To know the value of one year - Ask the student who failed their final.
To know the value of one month - ask the mother of a premature baby.
To know the value of one week - ask the editor of a weekly magazine.
To know the value of one day - ask the wage earner with six children.
To know the value of one hour - ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To know the value of one minute - ask the person who missed the plane.
To know the value of one second - ask the person who survived the accident.
To know the value of one millisecond - ask the Olympic silver medalist.
The next one
Having a premature baby is very traumatic for most people. It will take time to recover from the experience but as time goes on you start to think about have another one. Time heals but what if anything can you do to help the next pregnancy.
Here I will try to provide some useful links for those thinking of the next baby, including trying to conceive and pregnancy. Read more
Health Links
Bonnie Babies UK
WE ARE A NON-PROFIT VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION. We knit, crochet and sew tiny premature items for our UK Hospitals. We also make burial gowns for the little ones who sadly don’t make it; we offer keepsakes to parents of an Angel our way of showing we care.
BONNIE BABIES
PO BOX 9269
CAMPBELTOWN
PA28 6WS
website: www.bonniebabies.co.uk