December 2009

More Preterm Births in Lower Socioeconomic Areas
Modern Medicine
Dec 2, 2009
English women living in areas of reduced socioeconomic status are more likely to give birth prematurely compared to their higher-status counterparts, but survival rates and neonatal care are similar across different socioeconomic groups, indicating equity of access to neonatal health services, according to a study published online Dec. 2 in BMJ.

Sepsis, a serious infection, remains a major threat to 'late preterm' infants
The Medical News
Dec 3, 2009
Sepsis is a serious infection that is a major cause of death in very premature infants. But sepsis is also a threat in "late preterm" infants born just a few weeks prematurely, according to a study in the December issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

U.N.: $24 billion could slash infant, maternal deaths
Reuters
Dec 3, 2009
Maternal deaths in developing countries could be slashed by 70 percent and newborn deaths cut by nearly half if investment in family planning and pregnancy care was doubled, the United Nations said Thursday.

Health Tip: Taking Care of Your Preemie
US News & World Report
Dec 8, 2009
Any new parent is concerned about caring for the newborn baby. Premature babies -- often called preemies -- usually require even more care and attention.

Simple test 'can spot premature birth false alarms'
BBC News
Dec 8, 2009
A simple test can help reliably determine whether signs of an imminent premature delivery are likely to result in a false alarm, research suggests.

Mothers' Genes Important in Preterm Birth Risk
ABC News
Dec 9, 2009
A mother's genes may be an important factor in the risk of preterm birth, two new studies suggest.

New criteria to project preemies' time in hospital, says researcher
Physorg.com
Dec 14, 2009
Researchers have developed a new way to estimate when the tiniest preemies -- babies born months early -- will go home from the hospital.

For Babies' Sake, Pregnancy Spacing Matters
HealthDay
Dec 15, 2009
If that little bundle of joy has had such a profound impact on your life that you just can't wait to have another, take a breath. A new study suggests that you might want to wait at least six months before getting pregnant again, and that more than 11 months could be even better.

Why Being a Boy Is a Risk Factor Among Premature Births
Science Daily
Dec 16, 2009
Among premature births -- children born before the 37th week of pregnancy -- newborn boys have a poorer prognosis than newborn girls. In her dissertation at Lund University in Sweden, the physician Emma Elsmén Steen has explored why being male constitutes a risk factor for greater morbidity in these infants.

Premature Birth Tied to Later Behavioral Problems
ABC News
Dec 16, 2009
Children who were born prematurely and at a very low weight may have an increased risk of certain behavior problems and symptoms of depression and anxiety, research suggests.

Making stillbirths count, making numbers talk - Issues in data collection for stillbirths
BioMed Central
Dec 17, 2009
Stillbirths need to count. They constitute the majority of the world's perinatal deaths and yet, they are largely invisible.

Risks, as Well as Hope, for Very Tiny Infants
The New York Times
Dec 21, 2009
Marlo Prescott calls her daughter, Alexis, “our miracle baby.”

Antibiotic Unsuccessful in Preventing Preterm Labor
Science Daily
Dec 28, 2009
The antibiotic, called azithromycin, is effective in treating infections such as syphilis, Chlamydia and Ureaplasma urealyticum -- a bacterial infection thought to play a significant role in causing preterm labour. Recent studies have also shown that the drug is effective in reducing the risk of miscarriage following amniocentesis, a medical test for infection and foetal abnormalities.

Reality Knocks
The New York Times: Magazine
Dec 30, 2009
How did this happen? Really? There were unanticipated losses, grief that enveloped us for years. A stillbirth.