
Originariamente Scritto da
paulhowe
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...1013103132.htm
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The first nuance is one of definition. Infant mortality is defined as the death of babies under the age of one year, but some of the differences between countries can be explained by a difference in how we count.
Is a baby born weighing less than a pound and after only 21 weeks' gestation actually "born?" In some countries, the answer is no, and those births would be counted as stillbirths. In the United States, on the other hand, despite these premature babies' relatively low odds of survival, they would be considered born -- thus counting toward the country's infant mortality rates.
These premature births are the biggest factor in explaining the United States' high infant mortality rate.
Pre-term births can have many different maternal causes, many of which -- such as high blood pressure, diabetes, Zika and other infections and age -- are not entirely within an expectant mother's control. Other factors, such as stress level, might be able to be managed, but are not entirely controllable. On the other hand, some controllable risk factors include the use of tobacco, alcohol, cocaine and other drugs. The major issue of the lack of universal access to quality prenatal care should also be considered in any discussion of preterm births and infant mortality.
Also, because about 50 percent of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, some women might not be aware they are pregnant in time to get early prenatal care, and this may be part of the reason for premature births in this country.
Across all categories, larger, heavier babies and those at later gestational ages tend to have better survival rates. "Still, at any given gestational age, American physicians are just as capable -- if not more so -- as other health care professionals around the world at expertly caring for premature neonates," said Mark Sicilio, MD, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Texas A&M College of Medicine.
Infertility treatments, which often lead to twins or triplets (who have poorer survival rates, perhaps primarily because they are likelier to be premature), have also been blamed for infant mortality numbers.
Fai il serio !!!!!!