PODCAST: Preterm Birth – a Public Health Concern

Preterm birth is a public health concern. Each year in the U.S., nearly one in ten babies are born preterm¹…meaning less than 37 weeks of pregnancy or more than 3 weeks prior to the expected due date.² That’s nearly 400,000 babies every year born too early in this country.³ Babies born preterm tend to develop more slowly, have more problems with their eyes, ears, breathing and nervous systems, and experience more learning and behavioral problems than full-term babies. Every week of pregnancy is important, including the last weeks. Because the brain and lungs are among the last organs to develop completely, late preterm birth babies also face potential complications associated with preterm birth.⁴

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Preterm birth inflicts a significant financial, as well as emotional, toll on families. In 2007, the Institute of Medicine reported that the cost associated with premature birth in the United States was $26.2 billion each year.⁵ The average first-year medical costs, including inpatient and outpatient care, are approximately 10 times greater for preterm infants than for full-term infants.⁶

Speakers

Sean Daneshmand, MD
Clinical Professor, Department of Reproductive Medicine
University of California, San Diego 

Dr. Sean Daneshmand is a practicing Maternal-Fetal medicine specialist in San Diego, CA since 2002. He received his undergraduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles and received his medical degree from New York Medical College. He completed his residence in Ob/Gyn at the University of California, Los Angeles and his fellowship in Maternal-Fetal medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He is also the founder of Miracle Babies, a non-profit organization providing financial assistance to families with newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit with chapters across the United States.  He is currently in private practice at the San Diego Perinatal Center with teaching privileges at the University of California, San Diego.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals is a proud sponsor of Miracle Babies, founded by Dr. Daneshmand.

William M. Gilbert, MD
Regional Medical Director,
Women's Services Sutter Health Valley Region & Clinical Professor,
VCF Series Department of OB/GYN University of California, Davis 

William M. Gilbert, MD is Regional Medical Director, Women's Services, Sutter Health Valley Region and Clinical Professor, Department of OB/GYN University of California, Davis. Dr Gilbert is the author of over 90 Peer reviewed publications and book chapters. His research interests include disorders of Amniotic Fluid Volume, epidemiological research on Maternal Medical Disorders and Quality indicators in Obstetrics. He has received numerous teaching awards of both Medical Students and Residents. He is the founding Co-Director of the Center for Perinatal Medicine and Law at UC Davis which works to educate Medical students, Residents and faculty on aspects of Medical Legal liability by giving interactive departmental Grand Rounds on this topic.

Dr. Gilbert is a consultant and speaker for AMAG Pharmaceuticals.

References

1. March of Dimes. Premature babies. http://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/premature-babies.aspx 2013. Accessed November 9, 2016.
2. American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Preterm labor. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq087.pdf. May 2013. Accessed November 9, 2016. 
3. March of Dimes. Prematurity research. http://www.marchofdimes.org/research/prematurity-research.aspx. Accessed November 9, 2016. 
4. CDC. Preterm birth. http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pretermbirth.htm. December 4, 2015. Accessed November 9, 2016. 
5. Behrman RE & Butler A. Preterm birth: causes, consequences, and prevention. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 2007. 
6. March of Dimes. Premature birth: the financial impact on business. http://www.marchofdimes.org/materials/premature-birth-the-financial-impact-on-business.pdf. December 2013. Accessed November 9, 2016.