PALS intervention condition for Premature Birth

"Over one million preterm infants may be born a year in the USA. The impact of preterm birth on a population's health and welfare will require coordinated action by state and federal officials and by public and private organizations in the community." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"In premature birth, apgar scores <7 on admission show a high sensitivity (95.8%) and specificity (99.6%) to predict severe intraventricular hemorrhage, in the first hour. We recommend immediate delivery in any case of apgar score <7 when the first auscultation is performed. Severe neonatal seizures, with or without intracranial hemorrhage, have a 10% probability of presenting anytime within the first 1 hour after birth, and can be attributed to birth asphyxia. We recommend emergency delivery for newborn newborn with apgar scores <7, and immediate delivery for a lower apgar; we also advise prompt and immediate treatment in birth asphyxia." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"A Cochrane systematic review of interventions for premature birth showed high-quality evidence of an association between low birth weight SGA and prenatal use of folic acid, zinc, or antioxidant supplements. The authors did not draw any conclusions regarding the safety or efficacy of these supplements, highlighting that more research is required to determine the optimal timing, dosing, and effect of these supplements. Further research is required to assess the extent to which other treatments can reduce the risks associated with premature birth and their adverse effects." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"A combination of factors can cause premature birth, including maternal conditions related to fetal growth (placental compromise, pre-eclampsia). A history of pre-eclampsia predicts a greater risk of having a premature birth, likely through more severe adverse pregnancy outcomes." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Premature birth may be prevented in some cases, but its cure remains doubtful. The main obstacle in such a case is the complexity and the risk of further pregnancy." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Premature birth is the birth of a child before 39 weeks' gestation (when the pregnancy is still in the last trimester and the mother is pregnant with her second child) or a child born at less than 37 weeks' gestation (when the pregnancy is in its last few weeks and the baby's lungs and heart have completed their growth). Premature birth occurred in 1 in 5000 births as of 2010, up from 1 in 2500 births in 2000. Premature birth is most common in the United States, Europe, and the Americas. In the United States, the leading risk factors for preterm delivery are smoking during pregnancy, a long mother's age, and a mother's lack of education." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"In general, there is evidence that individuals are more willing to participate in trials if they have knowledge of their condition prior to enrollment and knowledge that they are eligible for the trial. There is some evidence that individuals willing to participate are more likely to enroll in trials where possible adverse effects in pregnancy are included in the informed consent process." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Clinicians used a combination of interventions to help premature babies, including a variety of care, to improve long-term outcomes. The intervention and some of the characteristics that were associated with change indicated that the study has potential to inform clinical practice and future studies." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"It is important that pregnant women get a complete general practitioner’s assessment, so they can receive the most appropriate care. There are several indications that need to be followed during pregnancy and after delivery. They are mainly: (a) check for breech birth, (b) check for multiple birth, and (c) check for low-birth-weight and preterm infants. This consultation should occur frequently, e.g. 6 times per year." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"The studies have been quite thorough, but unfortunately, there has been little advancement in identifying possible drugs for premature infant treatment. Although many of the newborn infants currently being placed in hospital-based NICUs do have serious neonatal morbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity, there is still a growing body of evidence suggesting that earlier intervention during pregnancy may potentially allow these children to survive and flourish. It seems as if there is a possibility of using drugs that have already proven their effectiveness to treat premature babies for a long time, as long as the side effects can be controlled and monitored." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"Results from a recent clinical trial of our pilot study suggested that our intervention might have the capacity to be beneficial and should be assessed in more recent trials." - Anonymous Online Contributor

"A positive family history of premature birth is associated with a higher percentage of premature infants. Results from a recent paper, a family history of premature birth and neonatal death was associated with a significantly increased incidence of premature neonatal death in the subsequent children. Families should be advised to avoid any additional morbidity and mortality by avoiding any further pregnancies." - Anonymous Online Contributor