PAM FOD #14: World Prematurity Awareness Day

Prematurity Awareness Month
Fact of the Day
Day 14

No question and answer today, just a recognition.
Today is World Prematurity Awareness day.

JAM last year, finally off breathing support after
his second to last NICU surgery.

I stand with those who have lost a child because they were born too soon, and I mourn with you.

I give a standing ovation to those children who have made it.

And I stand in solidarity with the parents who have taken life a day at a time, as they wish and hope and pray for the best things for their children.

Too many people have found this blog by doing a search for "23 week preemie survivor," and it breaks my heart that others may have to go down what is inevitably a hard road.

Thank you to all who stand and fight so that these kids can have the best chance at living. Thanks to the MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) doctors who help keep them in as long as possible, and to the NICU nurses and doctors who take these children under their wings when things don't go as planned. Thank you to OBGYNs who are well aware of the signs that something may be going wrong, and encourage us calmly to go in, "just in case." You all are heroes.

16 months after birth, JAM enjoying life.
He is now both a year old adjusted, and a one year old actual.
Next year, we'll drop the whole "adjusted" nonsense entirely.
And, unlike a year ago, we're nearly entirely positive that there
will be a next year. Слава Богу.

PAM FOD #5 - When you're born and you don't open your eyes

Prematurity Awareness Month
Fact of the Day
Day 5

Q: How does prematurity impact the eyes? (Part One)
A: For some babies, they are born with their eyes still fused together. Jonathan's eyes were not only fused together, they remained that way until he was exactly two weeks old (or a gestational age of a day or so past 25 weeks). At one point whether or not your eyes were fused at birth was used as an indicator to determine possible viability. I am grateful that that rather unreliable test is not considered valid any more!

It's easy to take for granted being able to look into your newborn's eyes at birth. For some of us parents, we have to wait a while!

PAM FOD #4 - Percentage of Preterm Births in U.S.

Photo from itsapreemiething.com. Used with permission.

A premature birth is any baby born before 37 weeks gestational age (or 35 weeks past conception).

A full term birth is any baby born between 37 and 41 or 42 weeks gestation, with your due date falling at 40 weeks.

The dangers of infant death, disability, etc. are much higher for preterm babies. Just follow this blog, you'll see. We talked about surfactant yesterday, and throughout the rest of this month we'll cover other issues that plague the preterm baby.

Which brings us to today's...

Prematurity Awareness Month
Fact of the Day
Day 4

Q: What percentage of babies are born prematurely in the U.S.?
A: According to the March of Dimes, numbers in 2012 (when JAM was born) were better than previous years. A mere 11.5 % of pregnancies ended in preterm birth.  This is down from the worst year for the U.S., 2006, when 12.8% of babies were born prematurely.

Before we get excited, this isn't all that great. As stated above, premature birth causes all sorts of problems, and we have the worst track record for preterm births of any industrialized country. Still, at least we are going the right direction.

PAM FOD #3 -Surfactant

Prematurity Awareness Month
Fact of the Day
Day 3

Q: What do you think is the single most critical medical breakthrough that has helped save micro-preemies?  (or: "What is Surfactant?")
A: Synthetic SURFACTANT

Surfactant is a naturally occurring substance, made up of lipids and proteins, that is produced in the lungs. It helps keep surface tension down.

Think of a brand new balloon you try to blow up the first time. It's much more difficult than if you let that same balloon lose all its air and then try to blow it up again.

Now, picture breathing, and every time you breath it's like you have to open up those airways for the first time all over again. Tough, right?  Surfacant helps you keep those airways from collapsing all the way when you exhale so that (in short) it is easier to breath.

Problem is, it doesn't start showing up in our lungs until about 25 weeks. And if you're a premature baby whose body lacks enough of it, it causes respiratory distress syndrome (formerly known as hyaline membrane disease).  Before we knew about surfacant, babies (most famously Patrick Kennedy) died for lack of this substance.

A synthetic substance, mimicking the natural substance, is now given to severely premature babies through their breathing tube.

This medical breakthrough is the largest reason (as far as I can tell) that doctors could give JAM a chance at life.

And, this, dear friends, is why I love not only doctors but biologists!  (GO biologists!!! You rock! You save babies! WOOT!)

Want to read more?  Read the history of the rather recent discovery of surfactant here.

Prematurity Awareness Month (PAM)- Fact of the Day (FOD) #1

Prematurity Awareness Month
Fact of the Day #1

World Prematurity Day is 11/17.

Q: What are the chances of survival for a baby born at 23 weeks gestation?
A: It depends on the NICU, and in many places around the world, survival is not possible. At hospitals where "23 weekers" are resuscitated, the success rate is between 15 and 40%. This sounds grim, but this is up significantly from a decade ago where the number was closer to 5-20%.  (All the websites I could find in that last week of pregnancy said 20% as the highest number, so I was delighted to find out that at my NICU the success rate was just under 50%.)

Advancements in neonatal care have made this huge gain possible. This is one reason why I've enrolled JAM in any research study offered to us. They all seemed very reasonable, and any chance that HIS life could help bring that percentage up a bit was very worth the extra paper work to me.

Are you doing your own "fact of the day" series for Prematurity Awareness Month?  Use the hashtag #PAMFOD for your twitter reposts. Or send me a link, and I'll post it under my resource pages.