Nearly one in 10 people born in the United States is premature (birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy), and its complications are the number one cause of death in babies. Those who survive premature birth often have long-term health issues. Surprisingly, the United States has one of the worst premature birth rates among high-resource nations (Source: March of Dimes).
Research has also shown that the countries with the highest prematurity rates also have high rates of depression and alcoholism (India, China and the US). We are learning that our earliest experiences in life have lasting effects, some of which we won't see in our populations until they are adults. While prematurity does not necessarily predict long term trauma patterns in human development, we know that babies who begin with challenges such as long stays in the neonatal intensive care and developmental challenges incur a financial, emotional and relational debts that many families have difficulty recovering from.
A transdisciplinary group of practitioners is gathering to share their experiences, therapies, hopes and dreams in the month of February. Presenters include a pediatric neurologist, a neonatologist and pediatrician, somatic trauma therapist who specializes in babies, a somatic bodyworker who was a premature baby herself, and a family therapist who specializes in prenatal and perinatal trauma who was also a premature baby. Their messages includes hopeful approaches and therapies for families and professionals.
The weekly lecture series lasts 6 weeks on Wednesdays at noon Eastern time starting February 17, 2021. For more information: https://prenatal-and-perinatal.../?preview=logged_out.
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