A new study published in the American Journal of Medicine has found that premature babies have a higher risk of death in early adulthood than babies born at full term. The study, conducted by Dr. Casey Crump of Stanford University, used Swedish medical records to track 674,820 births. Of these 4.1%, 27 667 babies, were preterm (37 weeks or less of gestation) births.
In addition to the long-term risks, premature deliveries may result in serious infections, pneumonia, jaundice, meningitis and respiratory distress. It may also cause birth injuries such as cerebral palsy. Many known factors exist that a doctor can look for to predict a premature baby. Failing to diagnose and resolve these factors through preventative actions or misdiagnosing the symptoms can lead to an unnecessary premature birth. When a premature delivery occurs as the result of the negligent actions of a health care provider, the health care provider’s actions may constitute medical malpractice.
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