Birthing Experience

Birthing Experience
When people talk about birthing experiences, most people find it a joyous occasion, but there are some who have difficulties and it can be the scariest yet most wonderful experience of their lives.
I was 16 when my niece, Victoria was born. My sister had her 3 months early. There was nothing that the doctor’s could do at the time to stop my sister from giving birth to my beautiful niece. Victoria’s weight was only a pound and a half. She fit into her father’s one hand. My niece was in the hospital for 3 months, she was born with scoliosis, a tethered cord, and spina bifida. The only people that were able to see her were her parents. But, they were only allowed to hold her to feed her, even then the doctors did not want them to do so, but in order for mother and baby bonding, my sister did some of the time. She was born in Pittsburgh hospital, which made it even more difficult, because it was about 2 hours away from where most of the family lived. My sister basically lived at the hospital for the 3 months. When she came home, she had to have a breathing machine, when we held her or took her anywhere, even around the house; we also had to take the machine.
I didn’t realize how severe my niece was when she was born, I knew it was bad, but I was 16 and I wasn’t able to see her, so at the time, I couldn’t imagine the intensity of the problems that she was born with until she came home.
My niece is now 15 and is wonderful. She still has some problems walking, and with her bladder. But from then until now, she is doing wonderful. At the time when she was born until she was about 3 the doctors believed that she would not even be able to walk at all on her. Now she does! I believe, in the 15 years of her life she has had 13 surgeries, and still has about two more to go, but right now they are not a necessity.
Preterm birth is a problem worldwide, but was not actually acknowledged until recently. (Vashishtha, 2009). About 28% of the 4 million annual neonatal deaths are due to preterm births; about 12.9 million babies are born preterm, with a global prevalence of 9.6%. (Vashishtha, 2009). The rate of preterm birth is highest in low resource regions. (Vashishtha, 2009). The countries that have the most preterm birth rates are Africa, North America, Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, Oceania, and last Europe. (Vashishtha, 2009).
More research has to be done for preterm births, as of now, high income countries can focus more on preconception birth, and lower income countries can promote prenatal care, treating malnutrion and other important factors to insure a healthy pregnancy. (Vashishtha, 2009).

References:
Vashishtha, Vipin M. "Preterm Birth: A Neglected Entity." Focus 46 (2009): 1071-1072. http://medind.nic.in/ibv/t09/i12/ibvt09i12p1071.pdf. Web. 7 Jan. 2011.