According to ScienceDaily, a global study on preterm birth and disability carried out by almost 50 researchers and 35 institutions found that baby boys are at a higher risk of death and disability due to preterm birth than girls are.
The news service reported that a report in Pediatric Research indicated that boys are 14 percent more likely to be born preterm than girls are.
“Baby boys have a higher likelihood of infections, jaundice, birth complications, and congenital conditions, but the biggest risk for baby boys is due to preterm birth. For two babies born at the same degree of prematurity, a boy will have a higher risk of death and disability compared to a girl. Even in the womb, girls mature more rapidly than boys, which provides an advantage, because the lungs and other organs are more developed,” Professor Joy Lawn, M.D., PhD, a neonatologist and epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) said.
Lawn said that one reason boys are more likely to be preterm is that women pregnant with males are more likely to have placental problems, pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure.
ScienceDaily also reported that in some societies, where girls receive less nutrition and medical care after birth, they are more likely to die than boys are. In addition to the preterm birth statistics, Pediatric Research reported the following:
- More than 10 million babies are born each year with “asphyxia” complications, with about 233,000 survivors suffering from moderate to severe disabilities.
- Of the 200,000 newborns estimated to suffer from neonatal meningitis, almost 112,000 died, with 22,000 surviving with severe disabilities.
My Child Sustained a Birth Injury
Hospitals and medical providers should be prepared for preterm births. If for any reason a hospital or medical provider fails to provide adequate treatment and/or injures a child during the birthing process, regardless of whether or not the baby was preterm, it should be held liable for its negligence.
We represent parents whose children have suffered birth injuries including cerebral palsy, erb’s palsy, shoulder dystocia and brain injuries. We also represent parents of fraternal twins with autism.
If you need to speak with an Erbs palsy lawyer or a cerebral palsy lawyer, contact our birth injury attorneys. To schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys, call our firm at 1 (800) 460-0606.
[Did You Know: Human errors, like failing to order a C-section or improper forceps use, can lead to birth injuries.]
Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – Birth Injury Attorneys
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131114193430.htm
