- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- twins today articles
- twins today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Preemies
When Should Technology Intervene to Sustain Life?
Nearly 425,000 babies are born prematurely each year in the United States, including an increasing number of multiples caused by fertility treatments. Nearly 55,000 of these babies -- called "preemies" -- are born with extremely low birth weights (less than 3 pounds, 4 ounces), according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
| The long term prognosis for these babies is uncertain. According to an article in Pediatrics, 25 percent of these babies do not survive the first year of life. Of the ones that survive, many have moderate to severe disabilities. | Nearly 425,000 babies are born prematurely each year in the United States, including an increasing number of multiples caused by fertility treatments. |
Now, two states are addressing the issue of when to pull out all the stops for these babies' care and when it's best to let nature take its course. Wisconsin's Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Intensive Care Project issued a report in November after studying the issue for three years. The section on preemies articulates the need to establish a protocol for dealing with complex medical decisions while fully involving the parents of the baby. Colorado, the state with the highest rate of low birth weight babies, has taken the issue a step further. It's become the first state where a community has attempted to establish a guide for making choices when a preemie's life is in jeopardy.
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||
