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Preterm Births on the Rise
Causes are still being explored, but prematurity can have long-term impact
She was born on the Fourth of July, although that wasn’t the plan—Catharine Aboulhouda came into this world 16 weeks early. She weighed a mere 1 pound, 10 ounces, and “her footprint was the size of my thumbprint,” says her mother, Susan Aboulhouda of Allentown. Catharine spent her first 113 days of life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, being treated for jaundice, bleeding in the brain and heart problems.
Five years later, Catharine is a healthy, vibrant little girl. As the 2008 National Ambassador for the March of Dimes, Catharine travels the country with her family to raise public awareness of the organization and its Campaign to Reduce Preterm Birth.
“Catharine represents a growing number of babies,” says Lorraine Dickey, M.D., a neonatologist (specialist in ill newborns) at the hospital. Nationally, more than 500,000 newborns—1 in 8— are premature. (Northampton and Lehigh counties do slightly better, at 1 in 10 and 1 in 12, respectively.) Normal gestation is about 40 weeks; any baby born before 37 weeks is considered preterm.
“Preemies often have heart, breathing, digestive and vision problems,” Dickey says. The effects can be lasting, including a higher risk for childhood death, delayed development and learning problems.
Why has the number of preterm births climbed more than 20 percent since 1990? “One theory is the rising use of fertility drugs, which often results in multiple babies born prematurely,” says Dickey’s colleague, maternal-fetal medicine specialist Kara Coassolo, M.D. “Also, more women are having children at a later age, when they’re more likely to have high blood pressure and other conditions linked to preterm birth.”
Preterm labor can happen to any woman, says Patrick McIntyre, M.D., an obstetrician with the hospital. You’re at higher risk if you’ve had a previous premature baby, are pregnant with twins (or more), are obese, or have diabetes, clotting disorder or vaginal disease. The risk also increases for women who smoke, drink, use drugs, suffer abuse, are highly stressed, or spend long hours on their feet during pregnancy. “If you’re considering having a baby,” McIntyre says, “talk to your doctor about your risks.”
A good preventive move: Start taking folic acid right away. Research suggests that taking it for at least a year before pregnancy reduces the risk for preterm labor as well as preventing birth defects. It’s also important to learn the symptoms of preterm labor (see left) so you can get medical help quickly.
Since Susan Aboulhouda had none of the risk factors, she and her husband, Mike, never expected a preemie. “We are honored to be the National Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes,” she says, “and feel fortunate to have a healthy child.”
Want to Know More about premature labor and Catharine Aboulhouda’s ambassador experiences? Call 610-402-CARE or click here.
Published from Healthy You Magazine, July-August 2008
This page last updated 6/24/08 11:56 PM
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