With two premature babies, I am so thankful for living in the present time and place

One of the things I am most thankful is for living in the 21st century in the United States. My wife and I have had two premature babies; the second is currently barely 48 hours old! Both our daughters were born at about 33 weeks (normal term is 40 weeks) and both were born at less than 3.5 pounds. We are so thankful that the technology, experience, and culture to handle these tiny bundles so effectively is here today. We know if this happened just a quarter century ago, or of we lived in another country, the outcomes could be dramatically different for both the babies and my wife.

Our first daughter is now two, fully healthy and the joy of many people's lives. We are hopeful, because of the time and place we have been given, the same will be said of our second daughter in two years.

From The New York Times:

PERSONAL HEALTH: Risks, as Well as Hope, for Very Tiny Infants

A growing number of extremely preterm, extremely tiny babies now survive and even thrive, thanks to expert, highly coordinated prenatal and postnatal care.

http://s.nyt.com/u/vJ6

Posted via email from Suneil Mandava's Posterous