Ashlyn Hickey FCS 101 01 September 6 2019 Assignment 1 Pregnancy Exercise Nutrition and Low Birth Weight Infant 1 Define preterm and LBW low birth weight Discuss the associated terminology as well as the differences in the 2 issues Preterm means born prior to 37 weeks of gestation compared with the normal 40 weeks May be appropriate weight for length of pregnancy Low Birth Weight means a baby is considered to have a low birth weight when it weighs less than 5 5 pounds about 2 500 grams When a baby is low in birth weight even though it is born at full term it is referred to being small for gestational age The baby may be born at due date or preterm Preterm infants can experience a range of medical problems The lungs are one of the last organs systems to mature and preterm babies might struggle breathing on their own Low birth weight babies are born at term and their organs are mature and they often can eat maintain their temperatures and fight infections better than premature babies Rathus 2016 2 Briefly discuss several primary causes of LBW Mothers who smoke abuse drugs or are malnourished place their babies at risk of being small for gestational age Demographic and socioeconomic causes like being under the age of seventeen or over the age of forty financially poor or unmarried Medical factors before pregnancy have a big impact if the mom has no children or more than 4 are short thin previously had LBW children or the mother themself was a LBW baby Prenatal behaviors and environmental factors such as poor nutrition lack of prenatal supplements and stress Lastly medical conditions of mother such as vaginal bleeding blood pressure anemia and previous child less than 12 months or over 5 years Gabbey 2016 3 What are some of the most common effects both at birth and long term Discuss areas such as social emotional physical and cognitive Small for gestational age babies tend to remain shorter and lighter than their age mates and show slight delays in learning and problems in attention when compared with their age mates Preterm babies are more likely than small for gestational age babies to achieve normal heights and weights Prematurity is more common in the case of multiple births even twins Rathus 2016 Behavior problems including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety are long term problems Neurological disorders are also long term problems like cerebral palsy Asthma is very common as well Over time the lungs usually get better but a premature baby may have asthma like symptoms throughout his life Infections can include pneumonia and meningitis They can also experience vision problems Hearing loss is a common birth defect in premature babies Children that are born prematurely are more likely to have hearing loss than children born on time Premature babies can also experience dental problems including delayed tooth growth changes in tooth color or teeth that grow crooked or out of place Dimes 2019 4 Describe interventions for preterm infants both medical and non medical There are many actions that are needed for preterm infants to make them healthier Some may need an isolette incubator that provides controlled temp oxygen and humidity respirator feeding tube intravenous medication special infant stimulation kangaroo skin to skin contact and parent training in caregiving Rathus 2016 5 Is it safe to continue an exercise program while pregnant Discuss risks and benefits How will body changes from pregnancy affect my ability to exercise Many women are concerned with what their body is going to look like especially after having a child That is why so many women are concerned if they can exercise or not while being pregnant and after having their child In most cases exercise is safe during pregnancy Usually exercise is recommended while you are pregnant If someone was physically active before they were pregnant it is usually safe for them to remain active during pregnancy More than likely your healthcare provider will tell you to remain active as long as it is comfortable and there are no other health conditions suggesting otherwise While being pregnant you shouldn t be focusing on weight loss because of course you have a human inside of you which is going to cause you to gain weight It would be unhealthy if you were losing weight during pregnancy however proper exercise during pregnancy will likely help with weight loss after the delivery of your baby Some benefits of exercising while pregnant are Reduces backaches constipation bloating and swelling may help prevent or treat gestational diabetes increases your energy improves your mood improves your posture promotes muscle tone strength and endurance helps you sleep better and regular activity also helps keep you fit during pregnancy and may improve your ability to cope with labor This will make it easier for you to get back in shape after your baby is born Avoid exercises like activities where falling is more likely exercise that may cause any abdominal trauma including activities that with jarring motions contact sports or rapid changes in direction activities that require extensive jumping hopping skipping or bouncing bouncing while stretching waist twisting movements while standing intense bursts of exercise followed by long periods of no activity exercise in hot humid weather do not hold your breath for an extended period of time and do not exercise to the point of exhaustion You will experience changes in your body during pregnancy like joints are more flexible from the hormones which cause certain muscles to relax during pregnancy Your center of gravity or equilibrium is shifted from the extra weight in the front as well as your shifting hips There is also some risk of exercising during pregnancy Exercise also causes blood to be redistributed from internal organs to skeletal muscle and as a result there is a significant reduction in oxygen and nutrient delivery to the placenta Premature contractions can potentially be induced by the hormones that are stimulated by exercise increased glucose consumption from working muscles could affect fetal glucose levels which can affect your balance as you near your due date The extra weight will also cause your body to work harder than before you were pregnant Sullivan 2019 6 How much weight should I gain What are the most important nutrients for my developing baby and how can I get these nutrients It is well known that pregnant women gain weight It is recommended that pregnant