Article 5
Birth Weights Fell From 1990 to 2005
Researchers Can't Explain the Two-Ounce Decline in U.S., Worry the Trend Could Lead to Increase in Health Problems
Wall Street Journal January 22, 2010 SHirley Wang
National
Miller Chapters 18
Summary: Between 1990 and 2005, the birth weight of full-term babies in the U.S. declined nearly two ounces to an average of 7 pounds, 7.54 ounces, a reversal of a trend that had seen birth weights climb steadily since the 1950s, according to the study. Babies were also born 2.5 days earlier on average in 2005 than in 1990, the study said.Researchers repeated their analysis in a sample of low-risk women—healthy, educated Caucasians in their mid-to-late 20s—and found that the decrease in birth weight was even more pronounced, suggesting that the trend wasn't the result of changes in the population of mothers.
Opinion: It worries me that the reasons for the drop in birth weight and full term babies is decreasing. My mother works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and deals with premature babies everyday. It is a stressful job because these babies arent fully developed yet and many of them cannot survive.
Full Term Babies-term: the end of gestation or point at which birth is imminent; "a healthy baby born at full term usually between 37 and 42 weeks.
Birth Weights Fell From 1990 to 2005
Researchers Can't Explain the Two-Ounce Decline in U.S., Worry the Trend Could Lead to Increase in Health Problems
Wall Street Journal January 22, 2010 SHirley Wang
National
Miller Chapters 18
Summary: Between 1990 and 2005, the birth weight of full-term babies in the U.S. declined nearly two ounces to an average of 7 pounds, 7.54 ounces, a reversal of a trend that had seen birth weights climb steadily since the 1950s, according to the study. Babies were also born 2.5 days earlier on average in 2005 than in 1990, the study said.Researchers repeated their analysis in a sample of low-risk women—healthy, educated Caucasians in their mid-to-late 20s—and found that the decrease in birth weight was even more pronounced, suggesting that the trend wasn't the result of changes in the population of mothers.
Opinion: It worries me that the reasons for the drop in birth weight and full term babies is decreasing. My mother works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and deals with premature babies everyday. It is a stressful job because these babies arent fully developed yet and many of them cannot survive.
Full Term Babies-term: the end of gestation or point at which birth is imminent; "a healthy baby born at full term usually between 37 and 42 weeks.
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