230 babies die every hour from childbirth

While we may gripe about maternity leave and day care expenses here in the U.S., at least we're alive. A new study released at the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics on Tuesday reports that 2 million babies and mothers die around the world each year from childbirth complications.

Childbirth claims more lives than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined.

According to the AP, 3 out of 4 of the maternal and infant deaths occur in Africa and South Asia, and poverty is the main culprit. Improved health care and better training would drastically slash this number, considering 60 million of the 136 million yearly births take place outside of health facilities without any skilled assistance.

It's time that awareness is brought to this unnecessary, barbaric tragedy, and that money is invested where it matters: Our future generation. As the study says, "The world will continue to miss the unheard cry of the 230 babies who die every hour from childbirth complications."

Autism steadily rising

A new study reports that one in every 91 children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with some developmental disorder on the autism spectrum -- a 50 percent increase in what was previously estimated. The report, published in the October issue of the American Academy of Pediatrics' journal, Pediatrics, also shows that the rate for boys is up at a startling 1 in 58.

Why the sudden spike?

Is it an increase in parent/doctor awareness? A growth in the span of the autism spectrum? Vaccines? Toxic waste exposure? Diet? Even after the countless hours of research, studies and media coverage, there still isn't a definitive cause for autism. The only thing for sure is that more cases are being reported.

Some question the accuracy of this statistic, especially since the study relies solely on verbal interviews with parents and children, not doctors. Also, there isn't a biological marker for who is and who isn't autistic. It can't be traced in blood or urine. There are no physical marks. The only way a child can be diagnosed is by observing how he/she behaves. Are we too quick to label a difficult child as autistic?

Despite this, testimony from 78,000 parents is hard to ignore.

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Cuddle up with Mr. Placenta

If you're anything like me, after birthing the bloody placenta you may have marveled at the life-sustaining organ that nourished your newly born child, and then you moved on to something less gross. But in many parts of the world, placentophagia -- the eating of the placenta -- is said to be a sacred ritual that may prevent postpartum depression, slow postpartum hemorrhage and boost milk production.

Not ready for a placenta patty? Perhaps a Placenta Teddy Bear would serve as an appropriate remembrance souvenir for your little one. And I don't mean a teddy bear that looks like a placenta (hello, nightmares). No, no -- I mean a cuddly bedtime friend made out of your actual organ.
[re]design -- the socially engaged, environmentally conscious design enterprise -- introduced Designer Alex Green's "Twin Teddy Kit" at this weekend's Doing It For The Kids expo.

Simply cut the placenta in half and rub the organ with sea salt, allowing it to dry out. Then, treat it with a mixture of tannin and egg yolk until it's soft and pliable. Finally, sew the pieces into a teddy bear -- natch. I know that when I got home from the hospital I was itching to fill my abundance of free time with a celebratory -- albeit creepy -- DIY craft project.

What do you think? Cuddly or cringe-worthy?

Photo credit: Inhabitots.com

Always on top

So much for silently laughing at high school "Plastics" for peaking at 18 years old. A 30-year Swedish study shows that popular children grow up to be healthier adults.

Damn.

Peer status affects a child's identity, which affects behavior, which affects life choices, which may affect health development. The study, reported by Reuters, says that children with lower social status and fewer friends are more likely to suffer from heart disease and diabetes later in life. Suicide and drug dependence rates are higher among the D-list as well.

It's bedtime honey, grab your computer!

Disney is planning to launch a new initiative to get more children to read their classic stories this upcoming Tuesday -- books not required. For $79.95, parents and children can log on to DisneyDigitalBooks.com for hundreds of electronic-version Disney books.


The computer will affectionately read to beginning readers with musical accompaniment and sound effects. For older readers, unfamiliar words can be heard with a click of the mouse -- No need to sound them out. There's also no need to ask Mommy or Daddy for help when there's a built-in dictionary. Trivia, games and story-builder tools will help to create a more interactive experience.

While Disney is touting this site as revolutionary, publishers -- like HarperCollins and Scholastic -- have offered digital children's books for years.

Reading is undoubtedly important for children development, but is this just another excuse to plop kids in front of a screen? Will children snuggle up to their Mac Books at bedtime? Is this a trend you'll jump on?

mixed up at implantation

An Ohio couple went to a fertility clinic, got pregnant, and is due to give birth any day. The problem? It's someone else's child.

A fertility clinic implanted the wrong embryo into Carolyn Savage, so she is now feeling the movements of another woman's baby. The Savages decided to deliver the baby boy and hand him over to the biological parents, Paul and Shannon Morell of Michigan, without hesitation.

Unfortunately, this was the Savages last change to carry their own baby, due to their age and previous pregnancy complications. They plan to hire a surrogate for their fourth child.

The clinic hasn't told either family what exactly went wrong.

The problem with baby back-sleeping

ABC News reported yesterday that because babies are now being put to sleep on their backs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), 1 in 40 babies will develop a flat head, increasing the risk for ear infections, language disorders and learning disabilities.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, SIDS is the leading cause of death for infants up to a year old, and since The American Academy of Pediatrics started recommending babies sleep on their backs in 1992, the number of sudden infant deaths has been cut in half.

But at what cost?

Lying in the same position puts pressure on a certain area of the skull, which can be molded back into shape with a helmet or band. There's no cure -- or known cause -- for SIDS. So while there are possible complications involved, pediatricians believe that the amount of babies saved by sleeping on their backs outweighs the risks.

Detecting a problem before four months of age is crucial to prevent flat heads, and back sleeping is believed to be less crucial once the baby can easily roll from front to back.