Early premies: do they ever live normal healthy lives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:30, your friend's great-aunt sounds like a lovely person but the story about her being born at 23 weeks in 1929 is highly unlikely. First of all, in 1929 there was no way to date a pregnancy with that degree of accuracy. Most premature babies are physically not developed enough to directly breastfeed after birth, and certainly not at 23 weeks. Not to mention that her lungs would not have been developed to breath on her own that early, and there were no NICUs in 1929. I am sure she was premature, but not as premature as she believes.

in 1929 women still knew when their LMP was and they knew how to count so it's not impossible to date a pregnancy.

the 23 weeks is an estimate and even if it's 26, 25, 28 it's still very early. she fitted in a shoe box, is it small enough for you?

i said breastfeeding because she sucked, so the sucking reflex was there but i bet her mom barely had any colostrum until a few hours after delivery. they used to feed her with a nasal spoon any milk her mom hand expressed. she still has it in her special treasure box.

let me know if you want any more details.

I am not sure why you need to be so defensive over this but yes I agree with the PP I don't think the timing is correct. My mom was actually born that year also and too be frank a lot of what her own mother and sisters told her about that time turned out not to be true. Back then, information was not as easily obtained and it was often very incorrect to begin with. Take for example "shoe box" - they didn't go over to Payless and buy their shoes in a box like we do today but that's the image we have when they say it. Who really knows if "shoe box" meant a crate used to store shoes or ship them from overseas. It certainly didn't mean small, compact perfectly rectangle manufactured on equipment with a perfect fitting lid cardboard box. Even "professionals" didn't always get it right back then and there was a lot of mistrust of doctors. Also, yes, women could calculate so many of them calculated wrong for various reasons and often hid pregnancies if necessary and used made up dates to suit situations.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure of all exact details but my Moms brother was born extremely early in the late 40's (think 2-3 lbs) on the west coast of Ireland. The hospital told her to take him home, there was nothing they could do for him and let him die with the family. He ended up living and growing up into a strong farming man and is still alive and kicking today.

[Anonymous]

Have an extended family member who has to be about 10 now. She was one of the smallest preemies on record in CA when she was born. Had one GI surgery but is 100% healthy now with no ill effects. Very fortunate.

[Anonymous]

It is very common for family and friends to be under the misconception that a preemie was a week or two younger than they really were at birth. Unless an early ultrasound was done, it is difficult to determine true age. NICU nurses and doctors also have a tendency to speak in terms of baby looks like a 24 weeker. Many preemies also suffer from IUGR if placental issues are present. My 34 weeker had IUGR and the NICU nurses kept saying they thought that she was really a 32 weeker. I had had an early ultrasound and by MFM/ob was certain of the date so they were incorrect. Once the baby is born and in the NICU, the NICU doctors and nurses will treat the baby based on its current state not the perceived age so it doesn't really matter if they have it right or wrong.

[Anonymous]

DD was born at 28 weeks, 2 days and 1 pound 15 oz in the mid-2000s.

She has no health/development/social problems. She had an APGAR of 9 at 1 minute out and of 10 at 5 minutes out. Breathed room air from the beginning. A true miracle and I am grateful for her every single day.

[Anonymous]

Read the recent New Yorker article about this. Plus the advances in the field push the edge of when preemies almost always turn out fine. used to be that most 32 weekers died - now most are fine. But if people had a skeptical "what's the point?" attitude, they'd mostly still die.

[Anonymous]

Wow! By reading this thread, I can discern that all extremely early premies live healthy normal lives! Makes me wonder what all the fuss is about. Amazing.

[Anonymous]

OP, as soon as you let go of the crutch, they will have normal lives. So they are in the NICU for a while. Many babies are, and it is over, so move on and enjoy your child!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, as soon as you let go of the crutch, they will have normal lives. So they are in the NICU for a while. Many babies are, and it is over, so move on and enjoy your child!

This is idiotic.

[Anonymous]

my SIL was born at 6 months and just over two lbs in 71. not sure how many wks. she was in the nicu for several wks. no major health issues as a child or an adult. she is extremely bright and quite athletic. she has been running public health programs in a developing country for sveral years. she cheered in college and regularly competes in distance swimming and running.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely, they can live normal, healthy lives.

I have two cousins who were born extremely prematurely, both before many doctors even want to try to save them: one at 22 weeks, one just before 23 weeks, both just about 1 pound. I have pictures of my aunt's wedding ring placed over my cousin's arm, like an armband, and she is petite, 90 pounds soaking wet.

And this was many years ago, because one cousin is a sophomore at Notre Dame, the other in high school. Both brilliant, strong and healthy, with big dreams. Technology is even better now.

Life is precious. Maybe someday, we will develop artificial wombs for babies in between embryos and 20-22 weeks. For now, we should do our best.

WOW. I honestly did not know that was possible.

I actually think the pp who posted this got the weeks wrong. Under current medical technology (2011), the likelihood of survival for 22 weeks, is less than 10% and 21 weeks is 0%. Many years ago it was nowhere near this good.

Up until 21 weeks: 0% survival rate

at 22 weeks: 0-10% survival rate

at 23 weeks: 10-35% survival rate

at 24 weeks: 40-70% survival rate

at 25 weeks: 50-80% survival rate

at 26 weeks: 80-90% survival rate

at 27 weeks: greater than 90% survival rate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely, they can live normal, healthy lives.

I have two cousins who were born extremely prematurely, both before many doctors even want to try to save them: one at 22 weeks, one just before 23 weeks, both just about 1 pound. I have pictures of my aunt's wedding ring placed over my cousin's arm, like an armband, and she is petite, 90 pounds soaking wet.

And this was many years ago, because one cousin is a sophomore at Notre Dame, the other in high school. Both brilliant, strong and healthy, with big dreams. Technology is even better now.

Life is precious. Maybe someday, we will develop artificial wombs for babies in between embryos and 20-22 weeks. For now, we should do our best.

WOW. I honestly did not know that was possible.

I actually think the pp who posted this got the weeks wrong. Under current medical technology (2011), the likelihood of survival for 22 weeks, is less than 10% and 21 weeks is 0%. Many years ago it was nowhere near this good.

Up until 21 weeks: 0% survival rate

at 22 weeks: 0-10% survival rate

at 23 weeks: 10-35% survival rate

at 24 weeks: 40-70% survival rate

at 25 weeks: 50-80% survival rate

at 26 weeks: 80-90% survival rate

at 27 weeks: greater than 90% survival rate

YES, and these are just survival rates. Look at incidence of cerebral palsy and other challenges, and you'll begin to get the real picture. My sister worked for a residential facility for children with extreme birth defects, and soem of those children never speak, move, and cannot even eat on their own.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP -- and I meant to say birth defects related to preterm birth.