On to the not educated part. Babies born 23 weeks and above have a good fighting chance. I have seen babies live at 23 weeks (after of course a long NICU ride) just as well as I have seen babies die at 40 weeks. So many people just do not think that babies born early will have a chance. YES THEY WILL. There is also a huge chance that there may be nothing wrong after they endure their NICU ride.
On the other hand there are people who are not educated in Viability. What is viability? It is the age at which your child has a chance to survive outside of the uterus. Which is usually defined at 24 weeks. SOME I repeat some hospitals do try at 23, but not many. There are quite possibly babies born earlier and I believe I read about a 21 weeker in the UK. Babies that are under 24 weeks do not have the developed lungs that they need to breathe.
| Length of Pregnancy | Likelihood of Survival |
| 23 weeks | 17% |
| 24 weeks | 39% |
| 25 weeks | 50% |
| 26 weeks | 80% |
| 27 weeks | 90% |
| 28-31 weeks | 90-95% |
| 32-33 weeks | 95% |
| 34+ weeks | Almost as likely as a full-term baby |
| Sources: March of Dimes, Quint Boenker Preemie Survival Foundation | |
I guess I can't expect people to know these things as I am sure newly pregnant women with no history just sit around and wonder if their child would survive if born early. We have to remember this is the stuff no one talks about, so again I can't expect for people to know. Just like you can't expect the average person to know that a women goes through labor to deliver a deceased child.
Yes babies can be born early and survive. Yes Cara would have survived. I am here to educate! Ill do it for everyone! Gladly.
9 comments:
I remember how hard it was to be in the hosptial for two weeks and I had made it to 21 weeks and they kept sending people in to tell me that their NICU wouldn't even look at a baby less than 23 weeks...I felt so close to that point and so let down. Thanks for the post!
Thank you for this Laura!!
I feel like it's my job to educate, too. No preeclampsia, but stillbirth.
I had a grown woman (around 55) ask me the other day if I had to go into labor to deliver my 7lb6oz (dead) baby boy.
Since it's been long enough for me to think clearer about things, I didn't laugh. I knew that she and most people simply don't understand that although these babies aren't alive, we just can't wish them out of our bodies. I was IN labor when we found out Andrew had passed and still went through the identical labor to a woman with a live baby... except the end part when the happiness begins.
Still shocked that these questions arise but I think it's simply because people don't want to believe dead babies are born. They are just wished into heaven and then we walk out of the hospitals without pregnant bellies and live on. So not the way it happens. Another reason it makes me sad because people value our babies less since they weren't "born" the same way in their eyes. No ones fault, I guess, just the way society has invited in talk of such sad but true events. Glad we're all speaking up.
I bet Cara would be a gorgeous little girl wear (big!) cute dresses today...
I agree, when I read or hear of a 24+ weaker making it, etc. I am so happy, but also sad, sad for my Sadie, she should be alive just like Cara!
THank you for all your work and educational info!!
Hugs
Wow! You have been reading my mind this week!
I am 22 weeks and 3 days today and am counting down the days until I hit 24 weeks. I lost our daughter to an incompetant cervix last year at just 21 weeks. I just had a cerclage put in a couple of weeks ago and both my doctor and I are hoping and praying for 24 weeks. Long story short, I had been meaning to check on viability percentages all this week and never got around to it!
Thank you thank you!
Hope ya'll are having a great weekend! xoxox
I feel the same way Laura. It is so so hard for me. I even had to stop following 2 blogs because of it and I feel TERRIBLE but it just hurt too bad to see it, even tho I do have an alive child here today, but it just reminds me too much of Naomi and I always am finding myself asking, WHY DIDNT SHE MAKE IT? She was just like those babies too even a little bigger sometimes. I just dont get it and never will. Yet I know all babies are different but it still stings at me and it forever will.
Yup, I remember, the NICU dr coming in talking to me explaining about a 28 weekers survival rates...and well, tragically, my Naomi didnt make it. I just dont understand yet these 12/13 oz babies do. Some with major problems out of the nicu, some with some minor somes and some with very few. But I dont know how the stats are on those. It just hurts alot, even 2 years later. I think it always will because I will always be wondering the what would she look like or what would she be doing now? Would she be caught up to ones her age? I dont know. What I do know is that your sweet Cara and my Naomi are defintely holding hands together up there. oxoxox HUGS and they are loved and missed VERY much
Thanks for sharing this. It's to nice to know that Liam could have survived at 26 weeks when he was delivered and its nice to hear about babies that have done so well being born that early also.
What a wonderfully educating post! As a fellow pre-e survivor, I am always trying to educate others as well. SO many babies have a fighting chance and many don't realize that.
I have the same feelings and have had these thoughts a lot lately. My son was delivered stillborn at 25 weeks because the nurses wouldnt listen to me when I said something was wrong and so she didn't call the Dr to come check in on me, his HR dropped and she did nothing and with me on Mag alone in the hospital I couldn't do anything except think she was telling the Dr and finding out later she didnt made me so upset. He was so healthy with no problems, I like you had the issues not my baby. I delivered my first son at 27 weeks and he only made it a week, but I got a week w/him and he had his fighting chance. I know my Son would be here today and would be about 19 months old. Thank you for posting this, it helps so much to hear my same thoughts come from someone else. {{HUGS}}
www.2angelsandamiracle.blogspot.com
Post a Comment