The leading causes of newborn death are preterm delivery, asphyxia and severe infections. The United States now lags behind 40 other countries that have less newborn deaths and is in equal standing with Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Croatia. Back in 1990, the U.S. ranked 28.
“It’s not that things are worse in the United States than before, it’s that the U.S. isn’t making progress like other countries,” said Dr. Joy Lawn, a pediatrician who works for Save the Children.
Dr. Lawn researched newborn death rates worldwide in conjunction with researchers from the World Health Organization, the London School of Hygiene, and Tropical Medicine in England. An estimated 41 percent of children that die worldwide are under a month old.
“Proper care can prevent all three problems,” said Lawn. “Training more midwives and other community health workers could save the lives of many more babies. We know that solutions as simple as keeping newborns warm, clean and properly breast-fed can keep them alive.”
Previous initiatives have concentrated on children older than one month. The United Nations has a goal of decreasing child mortality rates worldwide by two thirds. As part of the Millennium Development Goal, the U.N. wants to accomplish this target by 2015. Recently, the Birth Defects Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Awareness Act of 2011, H.R.2029, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
When passed, the bill will set up a birth defects prevention and awareness program that the
Secretary of Health and Human Services via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will run. The program will reach out to health care professionals about best practices and target at-risk mothers regarding pregnancy and breastfeeding information. Grants for research, campaigns, and support of infant health initiatives will also be implemented.
The CDC encourages parents to have their newborn screened for illnesses and other potential health problems during infancy. Even before going home with their baby, the newborn should be tested for the following:
– Amino acid metabolism disorders: increased levels of amino acids or ammonia can cause disorders and even death
– Organic acid metabolism disorders: when these acids are not broken down properly, they can cause toxins to accumulate; inadequate treatment can result in a coma or death within the first month of a baby’s life
– Fatty acid oxidation disorders: defects in enzymes can hamper fat from turning into energy and cause sugar levels to drop; vital organs including the brain can be affected
– Hemoglobinopathies: red blood cell diseases can cause anemia, serious infections, pain and organ damage
– Hearing: to gauge potential hearing problems
– Jaundice: to prevent this problem from causing brain damage
Robert I. Briskman is a Chicago birth injury lawyer and Chicago birth injury attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.
