Premmy question

[Pregnopaws]

I was talking to someone on msn who said that babies can now survive if born at 24 weeks, i thought this was way too soon? Someone else said 28 weeks was the very minimum a baby could survive with antenatal care! Does anyone know who is right or does it depend on the baby's health, size etc??

 

[Tegala-7thMarch08]

in my pregnancy book the m/w gave me it said 24 weeks with the right care... i was waiting an waiting to get 2 24 weeks just because of that lol

 

[chrystaltips]

In theory, your baby is considered viable at 24 weeks which means that the lungs are just about capable of breathing, although I think the chances of survival at this stage are only about 25% depending on the baby's development and on how good the NICU facilities are at your hospital.

At 28 weeks I read there is a 90% chance your baby will survive but would obviously be in for a long hospital stay and require intensive care.

At 35-36 weeks your baby has a 99% chance of survival and is clinically mature so can survive without the need of special care in most cases, although some monitoring may be required for a short period after birth.

If you go into labour before 35 weeks you will be given drugs to stop it either until your baby is nearer to term or until you can be transferred to a hospital with appropriate NICU facilities. After 35 weeks they won't do anything to stop labour as your baby is pretty much full term and should be healthy, just a little small.

I was born at 28 weeks weighing 2lb 2oz and was in intensive care for 6-8 weeks but survived, and that was 31 years ago!

 

[lisa&alex]

isnt it 23 weeks now? im sure there have been babys born at 21-22 weeks in america and survived.. althought chances of the baby having mental issues and poor vision and hearing is high.. 24 weeks prem got a 50% chance of survival.. and 28 weeks something like 80% survival or somthing...

 

[chrystaltips]

I think at 23/24 weeks babies can survive. I guess it depends on the development of the baby - some will be more mature than others at the same gestational age. I've also heard of a couple of cases where babies born at earlier than 23 weeks have survived, although at 21 weeks this is highly unlikely as a baby's lungs are not yet developed enough in most cases to function properly.

I think, although knowledge and facilities are very advanced these days, doctors are still very reluctant to lower the age for viability, as there is no strong evidence to suggest that the survival chances of babies born very prematurely (21-23 weeks) has improved that significantly. Hence all the recent debates about lowering the legal limit for abortion.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule

 

[jodie_honey]

The world's youngest surviving baby, born at 21 weeks and six days and weighing just 10oz (284g), is due to be discharged from hospital this week after a battle for life described as miraculous.

With feet the size of an adult's little fingernail, Amillia Taylor measured 9.5in (24cm) - not much longer than a ballpoint pen - when she was born at a Florida hospital on Oct 24.
The odds were stacked against her. Doctors consider babies who weigh less than 14.1oz (400g) to stand no chance of survival. And no infant born before 23 weeks has survived until now.

But defying the odds, Amillia was breathing on her own when she was born by cesarean section and even made several attempts to cry.

Now, after four months in an incubator at Baptist Children's Hospital in Miami, Amillia has almost tripled in to 26in (66cm), weighs 4.5lbs (2kg) and is expected to go home with her parents before the end of the week.

Doctors say that despite initial respiratory and digestive problems and a mild brain haemorrhage, they foresee no long-term health problems.

amazing!