Tysa N.

Pringle
012 Virginia Cleveland
Hampton , VA 23668
November 10, 2016
ABC News
47 West 66th Street
New York, NY 10023
Dear ABC News :
I am writing this letter to you to address that premature birth is a topic that should be greatly
deliberated. Premature birth has been on a rise over the past few years. There has been some
controversy between the topic of premature birth and abortions. Babies who are born premature
tend to be born with many defects such as breathing problems due to underdeveloped lungs, and
also hearing and eyesight complications. Many premature babies start the beginning of their life
in neonatal intensive care unit before they are discharged. Every child is born with unique
qualities and different personalities, with different challenges to conquer. When a child is born
premature, they are faced with more challenges than those born of normal gestation. With
advances and dedication in medicine premature babies are doing better today than ever.
Premature birth can occur for numerous reasons usually being too difficult to narrow down
since it varies so much between mothers. However, some common risk factors include low
maternal weight and age, poor nutrition, chronic illness, or even lack of medical care. Iron
deficiency anemia can also be a risk factor. Maternal age whether too young or too old, can
contribute to the risk of prematurity. If the mother is too young, she is still growing herself and
may be in competition with the baby for nutrition. Older mothers may have resulting medical
conditions such as hypertension, high blood glucose levels, and poor mobility later in life.
Preeclampsia, basically hypertension during pregnancy, usually begins 20 weeks in a mother
whose blood pressure was normal and can lead to a fatal ending for both the mother and the
baby. Many times, the baby is delivered prematurely to preserve the mothers life. Placental
abruption is when the placenta containing the baby detaches from the womb, or the uterus.
Placental abruption could deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients. Treatment for this malady
may include bed rest, or a premature C-section based on how close to term the baby is. Other
health and lifestyle changes that can be risk factors for premature birth are smoking, drinking
alcoholic beverages, and diabetes. And if youve had one premature baby, your chances of
having another baby ahead of schedule are increased.
As you can see, there are many natural as well as preventable risk factors behind premature
birth. I feel that if people knew of these risks prior to conception, they would take precautions
during pregnancy to decrease their chances of delivering a pre-term baby. They would avoid

alcohol, smoking, and foods high in sugar, if diabetic, during pregnancy. They would research
their family history to find out if there is a recurrence of preeclampsia in the women in their
family. And they would know all of the challenges preterm babies must face. So I Tysa N.
Pringle am asking you to help me broadcast the risks and challenges my fellow preterm babies
have to face.
Sincerely ,

Tysa N. Pringle