labor & birth focused care your special child


Getting the support you need when your baby has health issues


BY KATHY DAVIS, PHD


Pregnancy is a natural event that usually results in a healthy, full-term baby. However, sometimes there may be issues that result in a baby being born too early or with health problems. These may arise due to conditions that the baby inherited from the mother or father, or may be the result of something that happened during pregnancy that was beyond parental control. Therefore, the baby may  not be expected to survive very long. In the past, expectant moms had no


way of knowing if there were problems with their babies until the birth. However, today we have more information than ever before regarding health problems, and new technologies can detect potential problems


during early pregnancy. In some situations, early detection allows medical treatment that can prevent premature birth or that remedies health problems. In others, early detection enables you and your partner to make decisions that are right for the baby and your family. A routine ultrasound, regular exam by


your obstetrician or other healthcare profes- sional, or your observations during preg- nancy may suggest the need for further tests or lab work. Your provider may also suggest you see a specialist called a perinatologist who provides care for expectant mothers and fetuses who are at risk for complications. The perinatologist will determine if you should also see a neonatologist, or a specialist who


46


ISTOCK.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84