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By
Dr. Joseph Mercola
with
Rachael Droege
One out of every eight babies is born prematurely in the
United States, which translates to almost half a million "preemies"
each year. While a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks (delivery
anywhere from 38 weeks to 42 weeks is considered safe), a
premature birth occurs before 37 weeks of gestation.
During a baby’s first month of life, prematurity is
the leading cause of death and serious complications can occur
later in life for the preemies who survive. The earlier a
child is born, the higher the risk of complications. Such
complications include:
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Bleeding in the brain
- Less ability to fight off infection due to immature immune
system
- Mental retardation
- Cerebral palsy
- Lung problems
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Vision and hearing loss
Although technological developments have made it possible
for more premature babies to survive, directing more health
care dollars to prenatal care and reproductive services has
not been the answer for this problem. The real issue is how
to avoid having a premature birth in the first place, and
this is an area that deserves much attention as the rate of
babies born prematurely has risen 27 percent since 1981.
There is one thing that every woman can do to greatly reduce
her chance of having a premature birth, and that is to take
fish oil or cod liver oil, which are both rich in omega-3
and contain DHA.
DHA is responsible for:
Nearly all women would benefit from adding fish oil or cod
liver oil to their diets, before and during their pregnancies,
as most are deficient in omega-3. Surely there are some women
who are regularly eating fish and therefore already have enough
DHA in their systems, however fish poses a threat to the developing
baby.
Women who eat fish will likely have a major increase in mercury
in their system, which has been well documented to cause a
variety of neurological birth defects. Even the conservative
FDA warns that women
should avoid most fish during pregnancy.
Taking fish oil during pregnancy, and avoiding fish, is a
far more useful exercise than gulping down synthetic prenatal
vitamin pills. The primary benefit of prenatal vitamins is
the folic acid, which prevents neural tube defects. However,
if you consume plenty
of vegetables this folic acid supplement is unnecessary.
It is also important to realize that prenatal vitamin supplements
do not contain a microgram of DHA.
So, if you are pregnant, thinking about becoming pregnant,
or breastfeeding I highly recommend that you start taking
fish oil or cod liver oil today.
When choosing your fish oil or cod liver oil, it is important
to remember that not all brands are the same. Especially in
the case of pregnancy, you will want to be sure the oil has
been purified of mercury and other potential toxins. In my
research--and in my clinical experience with patients--I have
found that the Carlson's brand of fish oil/cod liver oil is
of the most superior quality (now is the time when most will
want to switch from fish oil to cod liver oil, click
here for details.
Carlson’s is likely not the only brand in the world
of such high quality, but up to this point it is the only
one of such quality that I can recommend, so I now carry Carlson's
fish oil and cod liver oil on Mercola.com; you can also
check your local health food store to see if they carry it.
In addition to fish oil/cod liver oil, there are other methods
that can further reduce your risk of having a premature birth.
These include:
These are simple steps that you can take to give your baby
a healthy start at life. For other great pregnancy tips be
sure to review the links below.
Related Articles:
Premature Clamping
of the Umbilical Cord may Result in Brain Damage to Newborns
Having
a Baby? Do it Naturally
Why Cesarean
Sections are Not the Best Childbirth Option
Mom's Low Fish Intake Associated
with Premature Deliveries
Lack of Vitamin
C May Trigger Premature Delivery
Letter From
Parents to Their Doctor on Their Upcoming Delivery
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