THIS is why you don't INDUCE for convenience

[KnoxvilleDoula]

Late Preterm Births Present Serious Risks To Newborns

ScienceDaily (Dec. 11, 2008) — More than half a million babies are born preterm in the United States each year, and preterm births are on the rise. Late preterm births, or births that occur between 34 and 36 weeks (approximately 4 to 6 weeks before the mother’s due date), account for more than 70% of preterm births.

Despite the large number of affected babies, many people are unaware of the serious health problems related to late preterm births. A new study and an accompanying editorial in The Journal of Pediatrics investigate the serious neurological problems associated with late preterm births.

Dr. Joann Petrini of the March of Dimes and colleagues from institutions throughout the United States studied more than 140,000 babies born between 2000 and 2004, ranging from preterm (30-37 weeks) to full term (37-41 weeks). The researchers evaluated the babies’ neurological development and found that late preterm babies were more than three times as likely to be diagnosed with cerebral palsy as full term babies. They also found that late preterm babies were at an increased risk for developmental delay or mental retardation.

Editorialist Dr. Michael Kramer of McGill University points out that the “rates of preterm births are increasing, especially in the United States, and the associated risks are a serious public health concern.” He sees the increasing number of twins and induced labors as contributing factors in the rise of preterm births. “The rise in twins may be due to the use of fertility treatments like hormones and in-vitro fertilization,” Dr. Kramer explains. However, he notes that the increased risks may not always come from early delivery itself, but from other underlying problems, such as gestational diabetes, that may lead to early delivery.

According to Dr. Petrini, “The negative outcomes of many babies born late preterm can no longer be described as temporary or benign.” She suggests that late preterm babies may benefit from neuron-developmental assessments and stresses that elective delivery through cesarean section or induction should not be performed before 39 weeks unless medically necessary. Additionally, Dr. Kramer urges mothers and families to be aware of the risks when considering infertility treatments and induction of labor.

Do you know who can save your baby from premature birth? YOU. I know this will probably be an unpopular view from some of you, but it's the truth. Elective inductions that are not TRULY medically necessary, and believe me ladies, there are FEW truly medically necessary reasons to induce a baby from its safe home in your body, WILL RAISE the risk of a premature baby, interventions and a 50% greater chance of a c-section. Inducing before you EDD "estimated due date" runs you the risk of being wrong about the gestational age of your baby and putting him or her at risk of being born "late pre-term".

Birth advocates have been gently and not so gently saying this for years -- now some more medical minded professionals are realizing the travesty and injustice of forcing, yes, inducing a newborn out of the womb before it is ready. I hope one day medical professionals will say as bluntly to a pregnant woman that early inductions for non-medical emergencies is just as selfish and harmful as smoking or doing drugs, or any of those other scenarios that most pregnant women would not think of doing.

Again, it is up to you, but if your baby is in that 3 times likelier chance of having cerebral palsy, developmental delays, visits to the NICU, breathing problems, etc, how will you feel?