Preemies: The World's Forgotten Babies

There are 15 million babies born too soon worldwide every year. Some arrive after only 24 weeks in the womb.  They can weigh less than two pounds at birth and fit snugly in the palm of your hand. Tragically, 1.1 million of these tiny creatures die annually.  And those numbers are growing.

Those heart-wrenching figures tell only part of the story documented in a new report, entitled "Born Too Soon," published by a consortium of organizations including the March of Dimes, the World Health Organization, Save the Children and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

A premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.  Worldwide, more than 40 percent of deaths of children under the age of five are linked to preterm birth.  In the U.S., premature births are the number one reason babies die before their first birthday.

Unfortunately, little public awareness exists of the problem.  These preemies do not attract the same public sympathy as do AIDS victims. These helpless members of our society lack a voice in the halls of Congress or at the public policy tables.  Unless this changes, there are dire consequences.

Today babies born at 23 weeks have less than a 17 percent chance of survival.  Babies born at 24 weeks are given a 39 percent chance of survival.  The percentages jump to 50 percent if babies are delivered after 25 weeks.  One in ten preemies will develop a permanent disability.

The average cost of medical care for a premature baby during its first year of life is about $49,000, according to the March of Dimes Foundation.  That compares to $4,551 in health care expenses for a full-term newborn in the first 12 months.  The annual cost of premature births is $26 billion in the U.S.

But averages for medical expenditures can be deceiving.   

In its report, the consortium details the story of premature twins born to a Seattle, Washington, couple.  One baby weighed one pound, six ounces.  The other tipped the scales at one pound, 11-ounces. Medical costs during the first 18 months were $2.2 million.  Insurance covered a chunk of the expenses, but stuck the Seattle couple with a bill for $450,000.

As far as can be determined, no rules have yet been written in Obamacare to address insurance coverage of premature births. However, some doctors are already worried that in the headlong rush to gut medical expenses, they will be forced to confront some wrenching choices.

For example, doctors may face agonizing decisions on whether to unhook babies deemed too unhealthy to keep alive or to delay medical intervention for those babies who exhibit symptoms that would suggest a crippling disability.  As horrifying as that sounds, those are legitimate concerns.

With its medical science and technology advantages, the United States should lead the world in developing new treatments for preterm birth.  The National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control should be on the cutting edge of research.  However, it's not the case because preemies rank low on the list of priorities.

A few in Congress, like Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, have been champions of efforts to reverse the trend.  More voices are needed to demand additional research, education and intervention activities related to premature births.

For too long, Americans have been silent on the issue.  Their muted response has left the tiniest ones among us with no spokespersons.  If Americans won't stand up for the most vulnerable in our society, then the country will lose its soul.