Weekly Online Lesson Online Lesson Archive Grade Level: 8-12 Subject: Health/Medical Science

The Tiniest Human

A healthy 3 1/2-month-old girl whose birth weight was only 285 grams (just under 10 ounces) spent her first full day home from the hospital. Her doctors Careggi hospital in Florence, Italy, believe she is the tiniest human being on record to live so long.

The baby was delivered by Caesarian section in early February during the 27th week of pregnancy. Babies can survive at that stage of prematurity, but they usually weigh much more at birth. The medical team nicknamed the girl "Pearl" because at 25 centimeters (10 inches) long, she could "curl up and fit right in your hand."

The previous low birth weight record was set in the 1990s by a baby in Japan who weighed 300 grams (10.5 ounces). Extremely low birth weight is considered to be anything less than 1000 grams (2 lb, 3 oz).

This week's online lesson takes a fascinating look at the science of neonatal medicine.

High-Risk Newborn

The best online introduction to neonatal medicine is at the site of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. Read the introduction, and then click and read The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). How is life outside the uterus different for a baby than fetal life? From the Fetal Circulation chart, what are the two functions of the umbilical cord? What percentage of babies in the US are born preterm? Name several risk factors that increase the risk of a baby being admitted to the NICU.

Scroll back to the top, click Assessment of Newborn Babies, and study this page. What does the Apgar score measure? What score indicates that the baby is in the best possible condition? What does a score of three or less mean? What is the average weight for term babies? What does the Dubowitz/Ballard Exam measure?

Babies are admitted to the NICU when special care and attention are required. Click Caring for Babies in the NICU to learn more about the specific medical services provided in these facilities. Choose links from the menu in the white center area, and read these pages. Why is it important to keep babies warm? If babies are too sick or premature to breastfeed, how can they get nutrition in the NICU? What special equipment is used in the NICU?

Premature Baby Resource Center

Dr. Nathan, one of the top pediatric specialists in the Twin Cities, shares his expertise at the Premature Baby Resource Center at Baby Zone. The purpose of the site is to educate and support parents, other family members and friends of prematurely born infants. Read the introduction, and then choose several topics that interest you in the list below.

For example, click Measuring Prematurity and read the page. What is a baby's gestational age? Why do many doctors use an ultrasound before twenty weeks gestation? How is birth weight used in determining prematurity? Click How Common is Prematurity at the bottom of this page. What percentage of U.S. babies are not born at term?

Return to the Resource Center index and click Understanding Levels of Care. Describe the three levels of care. Which is the most intense level of care? When are Level III care babies ready to graduate to Level II care?

Premie Parenting

Now that you understand some of the medical issues surrounding care of premature babies, it's time to explore the personal side of neonatal medicine, that is, the parent's perspective. Begin at the Premie Parenting page at Prematurity.org to learn how prematurity can affect a family for years. Under the heading Memories, read any one of the four articles listed. These articles will help you understand the complex emotions of celebrating new life yet at the same time "mourning" the loss of a normal birth. Then, under the heading Growing Up, click and read Parenting After the NICU. This article discusses how author Rene Milner grew as a parent because of her daughter's premature birth.

For more personal experiences, visit Baby Zone's Birth Stories page. Read the stories of Morgan, Megan & Cassidy, and Jacob, among others. What caused the premature birth in each of these cases? How did the parents respond emotionally? In each case, how were the premature babies treated in the NICU, and what procedures were performed?

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