The United States is unsurpassed in its ability to rescue the very smallest infants; infants who weigh only 750 g at birth are now surviving. However, these rescue efforts are often associated with significant long-term health and developmental problems among survivors. In 1950, the World Health Organization adopted the figure of less than 2,500 g
Giving birth at home is a tradition in many parts of the world because of limited access to health care facilities. In parts of Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and North America, women may choose to give birth at home instead of in the hospital. The choice to give birth at home is undertaken for
Birth defects are also termed congenital anomalies or inborn errors. While not always diagnosed at birth, they are believed to have been present at birth and have their origin in some perturbation of the normal developmental process. The causes of birth defects include genetic abnormalities inherited from either or both parents; genetic abnormalities that spontaneously
Alfred Adler, founder of the theory known as Individual Psychology, first introduced the concept of birth order. Adler identified characteristics of different ordinal positions, but he also emphasized the importance of psychological birth order. Adler believed that a family member’s perception of his or her position within the family of origin may or may not
Birth weight is the actual weight of the baby determined immediately after delivery. The average birth weight in the United States varies between 3,000 and 3,600 g, depending on factors such as race, size of the parents, and gender (boys are heavier). Birth weight distribution of 150,000 deliveries between the years 1988 and 2002 in
Approximately 3% to 4% of all pregnancies reach term (38-plus weeks of gestation) with a fetus in the breech presentation, in which the baby’s rear end is introduced before the head. Breech presentation is common when remote from term. However, as term approaches, the uterine cavity most often accommodates the fetus in a longitudinal lie