(BPT) - “The size of a soda pop can,” is how Crystal and Marshall Diehl describe their daughter Audrey’s tiny, 12-ounce body, when she was born 15 weeks premature in March 2010. With the odds stacked against her, little Audrey made great strides to grow and develop during her 93-day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Duluth, Minnesota where the Diehls lived. When Audrey’s parents were finally allowed to bring her home, they were warned that although Audrey had grown significantly and appeared healthy, preterm birth impacts the functioning of many internal organs and is associated with increased health risks.
There are an alarming number of preterm births in the US, with more than half a million babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks gestation) each year.1 Preemies have underdeveloped lungs and a lesser amount of the vital antibodies needed to stave off infections, often requiring specialized medical attention. Because of this, they are not as well-equipped as full-term babies to fight off common viruses, such as RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).2,3
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