Sue Manteris reporting
Nationwide, some doctors are delivering babies before they're ready, sometimes out of convenience. But how often does it go on here in the Las Vegas Valley? That‘s what the area's biggest insurance company hopes to find out.
According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, doctors shouldn't birth a baby before 39 weeks unless there is a medical reason to do so.
But some do. And it's the babies who often pay the price.
Americans love convenience. But should it be a factor when considering something like this? Dr. Greg Miller is a neonatologist at Sunrise Children's Hospital. He tells us women should not deliver more than a week early based solely on convenience.
"Babies born before 39 weeks have an increased risk for respiratory problems and they're frequently trouble to deal with because they're subtle," Dr. Miller said.
United Healthcare is warning its doctors about elective C-sections before 39 weeks. It points to research that shows these early deliveries can double a newborn's risk of going to the neonatal intensive care unit.
"It's very frightening for the parents," Dr. Miller explained. "Very intensive for the babies, very expensive for society."
Nicole Meiers is having a scheduled C-section at 38 weeks, two weeks before her due date. She has a medical reason, however. Her amniotic fluid is low. Nicole's perinatologist is Dr. Joseph Adashek. He does perform deliveries for some patients before 39 weeks, but only after making sure the baby is ready.
"We also tell them we have to prove lung maturity by amniocentesis," Dr. Adashek said, "and if it's not mature then we have to wait."
Dr. Miller knows that some doctors do perform deliveries early without a medical reason. He witnessed it at his old hospital, which is located out of state. "The reason were predominantly convenience," Dr. Miller said.
Some of those babies ended up on ventilators in the NICU. Dr. Miller warns, "... reality is, picking a date before the completion of your 39th week adds risk to your baby."
Fortunately, Nicole's C-section at Summerlin Hospital was uncomplicated. And little Jackson was able to stay with his parents after delivery.
United Healthcare wants to examine the issue of early, scheduled deliveries here in the Valley. The company has already looked into the issue in other cities.
Some of the legitimate reasons for induction or C-section include fetal distress, uterine infection, and high blood pressure.
