March of Dimes Celebrates BMHGT’s Mother, Baby Care

COLUMBUS, Miss. (Press Release) — Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle has been named as a top hospital for delivery care by the March of Dimes. The recognition is for being among the leading hospitals nationally to reduce the number of elective inductions and cesarean deliveries performed before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy. According to the March of Dimes, this will give more babies a healthy start in life.

“We’re proud of our expert team of physicians and nurses who recognized this problem in our community and put in place policies to avoid scheduling elective inductions or cesarean deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy, except when medically necessary,” Administrator and CEO of Baptist Golden Triangle Paul Cade said.

In Mississippi, state health officials recommend keeping the elective induction and cesarean rate before 39 weeks below five percent. By meeting this goal, Baptist Golden Triangle is among best scoring hospitals in the nation.

“The last weeks of pregnancy are a time when a baby’s brain adds connections needed for balance, coordination, learning and social functioning. The brain develops the mechanisms –
needed to filter out unnecessary information,” Susan Spencer, director of women’s services at Baptist Golden Triangle, explained. “Babies who are allowed this much needed development actually sleep better and cry less since they are not disturbed by every little noise. They ‘sleep like a baby.’”

Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon each year, and more than one million of those infants die as a result of their early births. Babies who survive an early birth often face the risk of lifelong health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Even babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants. Recent research by the March of Dimes, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that although the overall threat is small, the risk of death more than doubles for infants born at 37 weeks of pregnancy when compared to babies born at 40 weeks, for all races and ethnicities.

Through Strong Start, a partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the March of Dimes has been getting out the word that “Healthy Babies Are Worth the Wait.” The campaign urges women to wait for labor to begin on its own if their pregnancy is healthy, rather than scheduling delivery before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy. The March of Dimes offers professional and consumer education materials about the importance of a full term pregnancy and the critical development of the brain, lungs and other organs that occur during the last weeks of pregnancy.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com.

With 315 beds, Baptist Golden Triangle is the largest regional hospital affiliated with the Memphis, Tenn.-based Baptist Memorial Health Care system. With physicians and surgeons representing almost every medical specialty practicing at the hospital and more than 1,000 health care employees, Baptist Golden Triangle offers a wide range of comprehensive medical care to patients of all ages. In addition to the Baptist Cancer Center-Golden Triangle, the hospital offers a variety of services to the community, including Baptist Behavioral Health Care for those with behavioral and mental health problems; an emergency room with 24-hour ambulance service; and an extensive rehabilitation department, including cardiac rehab and educational programs.

For more information, please call 662-244-1000 or visit http://goldentriangle.baptistonline.org or follow the hospital on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Baptistgoldentriangle.

Categories: Local News

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