09/01/05 14:24:47
>>183続きです。お願いします。
One of the frontiers in obstetrics involves spotting a likely premature birth before it occurs.
Over the past few years many women have begun taking a test that allows their obstetricians to predict with 99% accuracy if they are at risk for having early labor.
Produced by Adeza Biomedical, the fetal fibronectin test predicts preterm birth by measuring the presence of a protein found in vaginal fluid.
Women who test negative gain peace of mind, while those who test positive may have the option of taking steroids or other drugs that accelerate the fetus' development.
Parents such as Eric and Andrea Cole are often ill prepared for the challenges of caring for preemies in the first few years of life. "When Ryan came out, I don't recall him making any noise," says Eric Cole.
"I didn't appreciate the situation until two doctors came in and started talking about survivability." Then came Ryan's breathing crisis. And three weeks later, Ryan let out a strange cry of pain that spooked his parents.
They drove him back to the hospital, and doctors rushed him into radiology, where X-rays revealed air bubbles trapped in his intestine. Ryan had necrotizing enterocolitis, an intestinal disease that can cause destruction of the bowel.
It is common in preemies, many of whom have underdeveloped digestive systems. Babies who aren't treated quickly can die from malnutrition or infection.
The doctors saved Ryan by draining the air and fluid through a tube down his nose. It took him six weeks to heal.