Premature babies and the risk of hypoxia

Hypoxia:  inadequate amount of oxygen reaching the body (generalised hypoxia) or a region of the body (tissue hypoxia)

A baby is considered premature if born before 36 weeks of pregnancy. A baby delivered before 24 weeks is usually considered as non-viable, and if the baby is delivered alive, there is a significant risk of long-term neurological damage.

The most common cause of brain damage especially in small or very premature babies is the result of hypoxia.  A low pH could mean respiratory problems, with the baby suffering a lack of oxygen.  Unborn babies, whose umbilical cord blood had a low pH were 17 times likely to die, 14 times more likely to suffer brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen and more than twice as likely to suffer cerebral palsy.
Therefore babies with a low blood pH should be monitored very closely.

Since babies lungs mature between 32nd and 34th week of pregnancy any baby born before 32 weeks gestation is likely to have very immature lungs, which may result in hypoxia.

Babies born before 34 weeks gestation will usually be admitted to the NICU, as these premature babies often require CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mechanical ventilation.  The risk of brain injury to a premature baby lessens as the age of the baby increases.

If you or a loved one has a baby in the NICU who is on CPAP or a premature baby who is being tube fed then an ordinary dummy will be unsuitable, you will need to buy a dummy that won't interfere with CPAP tubes or nasal cannulas.

At Prem2Pram we stock practical and affordable premature baby clothes and essential premature baby accessories including NICU dummies suitable for use with CPAP and for those babies being tube fed. Visit our online premature baby store at http://www.prem2pram.co.uk and let us make your shopping experience an easy and pleasant one.