An examination of birth and death certificates for 28,000 U.S. infants who died in 2002 revealed that as many as one-third of infant deaths result from premature birth, a much greater percentage than previous estimations had indicated.
"Preterm birth" is the listed cause of death in fewer than 20 percent of infant deaths, but at least a dozen other apparent causes of infant death actually stem from premature birth, meaning it is the true cause 34 percent of the time, or more.
This revised statistic may lead to more attempts to counsel pregnant women regarding activities that can lead to premature births, such as drug use or smoking.
"Preterm birth" is a term used to describe infants who are born before 37 weeks of gestation have occurred. Conditions related to premature birth that can cause infant death include respiratory distress syndrome, brain hemorrhage and birth complications such as a premature membrane rupture.
Earlier this year, I warned you about the alarming 30 percent rise in premature births in the United States, amounting to one out of every eight babies, and how the risk of complications increase dramatically the earlier a child is born.
With premature births responsible for a third of infant deaths, it's no wonder the United States ranks 23rd among all industrialized nations in infant mortality.
There are many factors that are responsible for these problems, from smoking, infertility treatments and drug use to genetic factors and even prior abortions. But one of the most common causes for premature births has more to with something mothers aren't getting: omega-3 fats.
A study published in the British Medical Journal clearly shows that omega-3 fat consumption is associated with less of a risk for premature delivery.
Omega-3 fats not only help prevent this problem, but they also do dramatic wonders to improve the health of all children. The omega-3 fat DHA is absolutely critical for optimal brain and vision function. It is my estimation that omega-3 fats are likely to be the single most important nutrient that a pregnant woman could be on.
So PLEASE if you know a pregnant woman please encourage her as strongly as you can that she needs to be on a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat supplement like fish oil or krill oil. This could very well save her baby's life, but at a minimum it will make her child smarter.
Also, recall that although fish do provide omega-3 fats, they are also loaded with mercury and solvents like PCB and PDEs so supplementation is clearly the safer and superior option.