I am 31 weeks and 3 days into my pregnancy! This is significantly further along developmentally from 29 weeks and 6 days, the point at which I got hospitalized.
Babies born between weeks 31-33 usually have difficulties breathing, feeding, and staying warm, but generally do quite well with the support of NICU. After week 32 things generally get progressively easier, and after week 34 complications due to prematurity are typically minor.
The standard of care for cases like mine (premature rupture of membranes) is to wait until week 34, and if labor does not occur on its own, deliver the baby (either by induction of labor or by C-section). Apparently, after week 34 the risk of infection outweighs the risk of complications due to prematurity. It’s highly likely that babies born before 36 weeks gestational age will spend some time in the NICU. To graduate from NICU, the baby has to be able to breathe on his own, eat by mouth, and maintain normal body temperature…
Anyway, we’ll cross this bridge when we get to it. For now, I’m happy with the way things are, and taking it one day at a time.
No comments:
Post a Comment