Belief in Fighting to Prevent Premature Births

I believe in fighting to prevent premature births and birth defects. Even though it is difficult to predict when these situations, you can still help educate future parents about the possibilities of it happening and ways for them to cope. I see so many families that have to deal with the premature birth of their baby and it breaks my heart.

Six years ago my cousin, Amy, was pregnant with her first child and was not due until January. She went into labor in November, two weeks before Thanksgiving and delivered a 1 pound 12 ounce baby boy named Austin. His skin was nearly translucent and he could not breathe on his own. He was born without a heartbeat but the doctors were able to get his heartbeat back almost immediately. In the 110 days Austin was in the hospital, he was on several medications, had multiple blood transfusions and had to endure four surgeries – the first of which when he was only one week old. Even though he has few long-term issues, the doctors still follow him closely. He is now six years old and although he is not developmentally where he should be, he is still a loving, playful, carefree little boy. Every year, my family walks in the March of Dimes walk in the Raleigh area in honor of Austin and all that he went through. The March of Dimes organization researches the problems that threaten the health of babies and wants to help moms have full-term pregnancies.

Another family that has a deep place in my heart is a family from my home church. They had been married for a couple of years before they had their first child. He was born healthy and without any complications. The second time she was pregnant, everything seemed alright. She made it to the end of pregnancy and gave birth to a baby girl named Raegan. Raegan was born with a fatal disorder called Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome. This disorder occurs in 1:3000 live births. Trisomy 18 is usually fatal with most of the babies dying before birth and those who do make it to birth typically only live a few days. A small number of babies live for up to a year. Raegan, however, only lived for 42 minutes. Those 42 minutes changed Christopher’s and Rebecca’s life forever. They were able to spend that time with their baby girl and three years later they gave birth to two other healthy children.

These are two reasons why I want to help in preventing premature births and birth defects. So many families have to deal with these issues and I want to be able to inform other families about what may can cause them and how they can deal with such problems if they ever happen to them. Both of these families hold a special place in my heart in ways many could not imagine. That is why I believe in fighting to prevent premature births and birth defects.