The United States hails itself as one of the world’s strongest leaders. And many other countries look to the U.S. when trying to turn their communist or poverty-stricken countries around. Yet America fails in so many areas where you would expect a “leader” country to excel. When compared to other developed countries, the maternity benefits in the U.S. are severely lacking.
During her 20th week of pregnancy, Savannah Perry, learned that her daughter had a cyst on the left lung. After further examination, doctors determined that Lake wouldn’t be able to breathe once she was born.
Though many pregnancy guides and professionals state that a delivery at 37 weeks is considered full term, more recent research has found that infants born this early have more issues than those born at 39 weeks. For example, infants born between 37 and 39 weeks are more likely to suffer from breathing problems, infections and be hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit.
Even in developed countries, things can go wrong during delivery. In the case of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, the condition is caused by a lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain. In developed countries, the complication is often caused by a knotted umbilical cord or a problem with the mother’s placenta during delivery.
In developed countries, we often take the little things for granted. But in developing countries, the simplest things can make the difference between life and death. Approximately 40,000 Nigerian women died during child birth in 2010 alone; according to the World Health Organizations and United Nations, that accounts for 14% of all childbirth deaths in the world.
When we think of bacteria, we often think of germs that we want to avoid, but not all bacteria are bad. In fact, some are essential for good health; such is the case of bacteria found in the gut and intestines. A new study has found that, for babies, gut bacteria (microbiota) diversity is determined by the choices that mom makes. And it all starts at birth.
Water births have made some serious waves lately among expectant couples; even celebrity couples have caught on to the water birth trend. Amber Rose and fiancé Wiz Khalifa are one of the most recent couples to announce their plan for a water birth. They say they made their decision after watching the documentary The Business of Being Born.
Newborns in developed countries often have the best fighting chance of survival, thanks to the miracles of modern medicine. But even some of the simplest complications can mean a negative birth outcome for children in developing countries. The most common complication, birth asphyxia – a condition in which the baby is born not breathing – causes countless newborn deaths each year.
While home births do work for some mothers, there are still many moms that prefer the safety and predictability of hospital births. But what happens when the safety and predictability of that hospital is compromised? Unfortunately, one woman found out and the results were nothing short of tragic.
Babies have shown us, time and again, year after year, that they can be even more unpredictable than the weather. They will come when and where they want. This year was filled with some of the most bizarre delivery locations, but there were also some pretty amazing birth stories this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 8.4 percent of all children from ages 3 to 17 have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Classified by symptoms of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, the condition is estimated to cost between $36 billion and $52.4 billion in health care each year.
There are all kinds of home remedies for inducing labor: taking castor oil, eating pineapple or spicy foods, drinking herbal teas, nipple stimulation and, the one that’s the most fun, sex. Desperate women that are approaching their due date are likely to try them all. But do any of them really work?
For years, experts have been concerned about the rising cesarean rate throughout much of the world. Their concerns center, primarily, around the potential health complications that C-sections pose for both mother and baby – everything from breathing problems to risk of death.
