Low birth weight & Preterm Essay

Low cede slant is considered to be less than 5.5 pounds when a frustrate is natural(p). Low birth weight is atomic number 53 of the major leading causes of sister death in the United States. finished education and aw arness, the United States has dropped infant mortality rates dramatically. In 1980, infant death aver shape upd twelve percent due to paltry birth weight (Reichman, 2005). Infant mortality dropped to s crimson percent in the early unseasoned millennium (Reichman, 2005).So what factors influence a baby to be born with measly birth weight? Mothers who be young and under the age of seventeen Mothers who be at the age of 30 or great If the family and mother ar uneducated African Americans Poverty or low income Pregnant mothers who smoke and/or drink inebriant Babies being born prematurelyReichman stated in her article, Low Birth Weight and shoal Readiness, In 2000, thirteen percent of babies born to black mothers were low birth weight, compared to six and a half percent of those born to white mothers (2005). What is even more interesting is women of Hispanic origin bear the same attitude of white women when it comes to low birth rates. Women who move to America from other countries have better birth outcomes, rather than women from different origins who were born and raised in America. On a positive note, infant mortality due to low birth weight has dropped significantly over the past twenty-five years.Babies who are born prematurely or born with low birth weight can place ahuge financial burden to the family. hospital stays are much longer for these children. Not only does the family make grow a much larger hospital bill, they obtain travel expenses to and from the hospital. fetching time off from work to be at the hospital is plainly another expense that the family has fuck offn.Children are at greater risk for naturalise performance problems when born with low birth weight. They have a high risk of performing poorly on tas ks that engage in reading, spelling, and math compared to their peers. Children who are born premature typically tend to be militant and hyperactive. Mothers with premature or low birth weight children experience a high amount of stress because of the childs behavioral problems.It is brisk for expecting mothers to start prenatal care as soon as possible. A nurse can assist an expecting mother through education and underdeveloped a personalized care plan.According to the March of Dimes (2014), there are several healthy steps that a female can take when expecting or planning a pregnancyHave a prepossession checkupMake sure that vaccinations are up to date enquire the daily recommended dose of folic acidDo not consume alcohol and stay away or stop smokingReduce psychical and physical stressesWomen, Infant, and Children (WIC) program is very effective in improving the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and their infants (2013). It is federally owned and provides grants to all States in invest to provide adequate nutrition for low-income families. Not only does WIC provide nutritional education, it also provides health screening and referrals to health care providers. WIC services are provided in your county health departments, hospitals, and many local community centers. There are many mothers who depend on WIC to provide for their household.March Of Dimes (2014). Low birthweight. Retrieved from http//www.marchofdimes.com/baby/low-birthweight.aspxReichman, N. E. (2005). Low birth weight and school readiness. The Future of Children, 15. Retrieved from http//futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?jounralid=38&articleid=118ionid=774United States Department Of Agriculture Food And Nutrition Service (2013). Women, infants and children (WIC) around WIC-WIC at a glance. Retrieved from http//www.fns.usda.gov/wic/about-wic-wic-glance