The Facts About Late Prematurity

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorDid you know that November is Prematurity Awareness Month? More than half a million babies are born prematurely in the United States each year. More than 70% of those half a million premature babies—which translates to more than 350,000—are born late preterm, between 34 and 36 weeks gestation.Often, late-preterm births occur as a result of pregnancy

Can We Reduce Premature Birth with Better Communication?

by Eileen Ehudin Beard, CNM, FNP, ACNM Senior Practice AdvisorWe are so time conscious in our society. Life in the fast lane frequently requires scheduling out major events. Childbirth is one of the important life events that cannot and should not be scheduled. I wonder if midwives and other health care providers are taking the time to explain why. More specifically, how many women understand how

How Many Preemies Does it Take?

by Melissa Avery, CNM, PhD, ACNM PresidentAs National Prematurity Awareness Month closes, we’re digesting a lot of statistics. Today, in the US, more than 1,400 babies will be born prematurely. Between the early 1980s and 2006, the rate of premature birth rose by 36%. These are fascinating and disturbing statistics, but as a midwife who is actively engaged in research, there is one companion

It’s Time to Fight For Preemies

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorIn honor of National Prematurity Awareness Month, Midwife Connection is participating in the March of Dime’s Fight for Preemies, a blog event to raise awareness of the premature birth crisis. Every year, 20 million babies are born too soon, and half a million of them are born in the U.S. Today is the day to put a face on prematurity by blogging for a baby

U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Compares Poorly with Europe

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and EditorJust in time for Prematurity Awareness Month, the CDC released a new NCHS Data Brief that ranks the U.S. 30th in the world in infant mortality rate. At 6.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births (5.8 when excluding births less than 22 weeks of gestation), the U.S. falls behind most European countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore,

The Real Risk of Late Prematurity

A study in the August 2009 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology shows that late prematurity is an independent risk factor for neonatal morbidity. For those of us who aren’t women’s health experts, that means babies born between 34 and 37 weeks of pregnancy are at greater risk for health problems than babies born on or after week 37. Midwives already know that late prematurity puts babies at risk