I don’t usually re-blog things, but this post really hit home for me. If Jax had been born 4 days earlier, we would not have had the option to choose life-saving intervention. It really shows the importance of flexibility when babies (like Jax and James) are born in the “gray zone” of viability.
A friend of mine would pose that question whenever we had discussions about preemies and gestational age. She didn’t say it quite that bluntly, but did clearly state that James could have been 23 weeks and 3 or 4 days when he was born. In fact, she thinks it is likely he was 23 weeks and some number of days, and seems to take offense when I get on my soap box about preemies born as early as James being able to survive. She doesn’t realize that her argument is making my point for me.
Gestational age is not an exact science. Many factors contribute to determining a baby’s gestational age and pinpointing mom’s due date. Doctors look at the first day of your last menstrual cycle initially. Then, measurements are taken during ultrasounds and compared to typical growth patterns. Early ultrasounds are especially accurate. As baby gets bigger, growth patterns aren’t quite as…
View original post 460 more words
Share this:
An Early Start 
This is so true! The muppets were officially 27w, but based on ultrasounds and fertility treatment timelines, they should have been 26w. I went into labor at 21.5. That week gave me the full force of L&D treatment rather than basic ER.
LikeLike
Just look at how close many of us with funny, energetic, and smart toddlers were to that “cut off.” The really scary thing is that it depends on the hospital! It’s such an important discussion to have.
LikeLike
Thank you so much for sharing, I appreciate it! I hope its a message that will make people think and maybe start some discussions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem, Alison – it’s a really great post and it’s such an important topic. I hope it helps spark some discussions in the medical community!
LikeLiked by 1 person