HEALTHY BABIES GOAL OF PROJECT NEARLY $500,000 GIVEN TO PROGRAM.Byline: Daily News LANCASTER - Thanks to a grant of nearly $500,000 from the California Endowment, Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Hospital's Healthy Homes program is working with the hospital's obstetrics obstetrics (ŏbstĕ`trĭks), branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of women during pregnancy, labor, childbirth (see birth), and the time after childbirth. clinics to help local women have healthier babies. Nurses will visit the pregnant women in their homes to educate them regarding issues like nutritious eating, making healthy personal choices, obtaining regular pre-natal medical care, complying with the advice of medical professionals, and avoiding alcohol, tobacco and drugs. ``The goal of the project is to positively impact health and improve birth outcomes, thereby reducing premature births premature birth Birth less than 37 weeks after conception. Infants born as early as 23–24 weeks may survive but many face lifelong disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness). , low-birth-weight babies Noun 1. low-birth-weight baby - an infant born weighing less than 5.5 pounds (2500 grams) regardless of gestational age; "a low-birth-weight infant is at risk for developing lack of oxygen during labor" low-birth-weight infant , and infant death Noun 1. infant death - sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant during sleep cot death, crib death, SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome ,'' said Lea Butterfield, director of Healthy Homes. ``We believe that sending nurses into the homes of pregnant women and providing on-site education will be highly effective, and we intend to report the outcomes upon the conclusion of the project.'' The project is part of a countywide effort initiated by the Antelope Valley Best Babies Collaboration on behalf of First 5 LA, the organization formed as a result of the Proposition 10 Tobacco Tax Commission. The California Endowment's grant will help expand the number of women served. Women will qualify for the program for medical reasons, because of poor pregnancy or birth outcomes in the past or because they are teen-agers or from high-risk ethnic groups. Nurses will teach expectant mothers about fetal development, and will provide them with methods for reducing stress during and after pregnancy. They will emphasize early mother-infant bonding, and help mothers prepare for the arrival of their babies. Home safety will also be explained. Because pregnant mothers and their unborn babies are affected by the health and well-being of the entire family, Butterfield said, nurses will work to connect family members with medical and dental care as well as with agencies that provide food, shelter and other basic needs. ``We commend Healthy Homes for taking on this important initiative and securing the funding necessary to make it happen,'' said AVH AVH Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy AVH Association Valentin Haüy pour le bien des aveugles AVH Acute Viral Hepatitis AVH Alex Van Halen AVH Antelope Valley Hospital (Lancaster, California) AVH Auditory Verbal Hallucination CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Les Wong. ``They recognized the need for better prenatal care prenatal care, n the health care provided the mother and fetus before childbirth. in the Valley, and they are determined to make a difference.'' The California Endowment is a private, statewide health foundation whose mission is ``to expand affordable access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.'' For more information on the Best Babies Collaborative, visit www.first5.org. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion