Born survivors

MONDAY 17 November was World Prematurity Day and the National Premmie Foundation was again participating in a campaign to raise awareness of preterm birth.
Joyce Coyle, the maternity unit manager at St John of God Berwick Hospital said: “Each year about 25,000 babies are born early in Australia (before 37 weeks gestation). However, despite the rate of preterm birth increasing, couples can be reassured that more babies survive and thrive when born early due to improved medical advances and techniques.”
Joyce advised that about one third of babies born as early as 24 weeks would now survive, but may suffer from a life-impacting health condition.
“By 28 weeks the survival rate improves significantly to almost 90 per cent and at 32 weeks, the survival rate is almost 100 per cent with generally very treatable associated health issues occurring, if any at all,” she said.
Some of the causes of prematurity are:
* Lifestyle – smoking, alcohol and drug use.
* Health – diabetes, high blood pressure, uterine or cervical abnormalities, blood clotting disorders.
* Age – mothers who are under 18 or over 40.
* Pregnancy status – twins or multiple pregnancy, previous pre-term birth, hereditary factors.
* Problems occurring during pregnancy – development of pre-eclampsia, rupture of membranes, placental problems.
Many of these can be avoided, but still many causes of pre-term birth still remain unknown and cannot be prevented. As a routine mothers who have one or more of the common risk factors will be closely monitored by their obstetrician and may require some special medical attention or medication during their pregnancy.
The hospital’s level 2 nursery has highly qualified and experienced neonatal nursing staff using state-of-the-art medical equipment. The team of midwives also gives an extremely high level of support for parents going home with babies who have been born premature with both home visits and breastfeeding clinics twice a week.
St John of God has seven obstetricians and a GP obstetrician caring and delivering at the hospital.
See the hospital’s website for contact details. Tours of the maternity unit are available every Sunday at 1.30pm and every Tuesday at 8pm.
Information sessions are run the first Sunday of every month (except January). Please call 9709 1400 or google “SJOG Berwick maternity” for more information.