User:Sglammela/Preemies

Although the number of U.S. premature infants surviving after birth is increasing, the U.S. is still behind in rank when compared to other countries. The New England Journal of Medicine published an article that included multiple statistics and research done from the years 2000 to 2011 and their conclusion was this, "We found that from 2000 through 2011, overall mortality declined among extremely premature infants. Deaths related to pulmonary causes, immaturity, infection, and central nervous system injury decreased, while necrotizing enterocolitis–related deaths increased". That conclusion is important because it is proof that while the overall number of premature babies surviving increased, there are concerns about why the necrotizing enterocolitis-related deaths increased. However, the research being collected on premature babies' survival rates are significant to doctors and researchers because it may help them develop strategies on how to prevent and reduce the number of babies born preterm. The baby will have the best chance of surviving the longer it has in the mother's womb, so the primary goal is to figure out how to keep the babies from being born too early. "the goal of any pregnancy should be to deliver the baby by at least 39 weeks of gestation," said Dr. Edward McCabe, medical director of the March of Dimes. According to an article on FOXNEWS,"If the United States reduced its preterm birth rate to match that of Sweden, that would mean an additional 3,200 fewer deaths".