Long Term Health and Fertility Affects For Babies Born Early
I was born three months early, 31 years ago. After struggling in hospital for three months and having several arrests in my breathing, I was finally stable. When I weighed 5lbs, my mother was allowed to take me home.
My health has been of concern ever since. I had a meningitis type illness at age four and growing up had frequent stomach bugs, flu and thrush infections. I developed chronic migraines at age 11, vulvodynia at age 12 (which has so far been permanent and causes me constant pain), I suffered with debilatating hyperacusis from the age of 14 until I was 25, of which I still have after-effects, and I have back and chest pain due to a twisted spine, brought on by the cerebral palsy I got from my premature birth.
When I was 17, doctors thought I may be infertile. Thankfully I proved them wrong. Fertility was not one of my issues. I now have five children, so I'm proof that pre-term people can have children. Three of my children were overdue. I do live in daily pain, though, and wonder whether my prematurity caused it.
Geeta Swarmy, MD, said
'Pre-term survival is improving because of advances in neonatal care, however, it may mean that we're improving survival while adversely affecting the health and quality of life in the long run.'
Am I glad to be alive? Yes. I look into the eyes of my beautiful children and know they wouldn't exist if it weren't for the benefits of neonatal intensive care. I am thankful I still had my fertility. But sometimes I sit in pain that won't go away no matter how many medicines I take, and I think that maybe saving life at all costs is not so black and white. There are shades of gray.
