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| Premature babies and low birth weight: probable causes, further questions |
| Health |
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Written by Derek Miedema, a researcher at the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada On September 28, 2009, the Conference Board of Canada released its annual report entitled How Canada Performs: A Report Card on Canada. The report showed that Canada has a high rate of infant mortality. In fact, according to the report, “Canada gets a ‘C’ and now ties the U.K. for 15th place out of 17 peer countries. Its infant mortality rate is shockingly high for a country at Canada’s level of socio-economic development.” The Conference Board study found that not only is Canada’s infant mortality rate high, it is persistently so, at 5 children per 1000 live births. The Conference Board states: “. . . researchers suggest that Canada’s ability to reduce infant mortality is constrained by the successful delivery of more preterm babies and babies with very low birth weight. These babies face higher risk of death.” The question is: Why are more babies being born preterm and/or with a low birth weight? Gabriela Prada, director of health policy for the Conference Board, discussed possible reasons in an article published on September 28. “Canada's relatively high infant mortality rate – the rate at which infants die before their first birthday – may be due to a high number of premature births and fertility programs increasing the number of multiple births, along with a variety of socio-economic and environmental factors.” The March of Dimes suggests that socio-economic and environmental factors could include considerations such as maternal nutrition and smoking or drug use during pregnancy. Age is also a consideration: younger (under 17) and older (over 35) mothers are likely to give birth to babies prematurely. Extremely high levels of stress and long work hours with long stretches of standing during pregnancy may also contribute. And a Canadian study released in March 2009 suggests taking birth control pills within weeks of becoming pregnant may decrease birth weight and increase the number of preterm births. Another Canadian study published in May 2009 showed an additional factor that is not often considered: previous abortions. The study found that previous abortions increase the likelihood of both premature birth and low birth weight in subsequent pregnancies. In reviewing 37 other studies to examine this relationship, the study found that the risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight increased as the number of abortions increased. The study was deemed credible and thorough by the pro-choice National Health Service. Clearly, many factors influence infant mortality. However, a question remains as to whether unfettered access to abortion in Canada could prop up a high rate of infant mortality by leaving in its wake a higher number of premature babies with a low birth weight. Reports from Poland suggest this thesis may be credible – the country has all but outlawed abortion and their infant mortality rate, though still higher than Canada’s, has decreased by almost one third from 9.61 deaths per 1000 live births in 2000 to 6.93 in 2008. Further study is required on the topic of Canada’s high infant mortality rate. However, that further study should not hesitate to draw in all factors, including the untouchable topic of abortion as a possible contributing factor. |
