Panel makes 22 recommendations to reduce low birth weight babies in Alberta
May 25, 2007
Calgary - A panel of experts is recommending more community-based services to optimize the health of women in their child-bearing years, the creation of a ministerial task force on reproductive health to help reduce the incidence of low birth weight babies in Alberta, and improve legislation around assisted reproductive technologies. There are 22 recommendations contained in the consensus paper released today following the Healthy Mothers – Healthy Babies: How to Prevent Low Birth Weight conference held in Calgary May 23 to 25.
"Low birth weight is a complex issue with significant short and long term consequences for individuals, families and our society as a whole," says Dr. Shoo Lee, Chair of the panel and Scientific Director for the Integrated Centre for Care Advancement through Research with Capital Health. "It is clear that we need a multidisciplinary approach – that includes increased research and intervention strategies such as the development of new models of health care delivery, therapies and research, establishment of financial incentives, better support for families and effective legislative policies – if we are to be successful in reducing the incidence of and better manage low birth weight babies."
Hosted by the Alberta Perinatal Health Program – a tripartite partnership between the Calgary Health Region, Capital Health and the Alberta Medical Association – the conference was held in response to ongoing concerns with Alberta's increasing rate of low birth weight babies (less than 2500 grams) being born in the province. The provincial rate is 6.6 per cent of live births compared to the national average of 5.9.
The consensus paper is being finalized. Included in the recommendations are:
- Provide all women with accurate pregnancy dating, confirmed by ultrasound no later than 20 weeks into her pregnancy.
- Research the best methods to inform, educate and modify the behavior of women and men of child bearing age to optimize childbearing, including ideal weight, smoking cessation, avoidance of addictive substances, and optimum age for pregnancy.
- Develop and evaluate new models for delivering care to mothers and their infants.
- Study health outcomes for preterm babies and small-for-gestational infants to better understand the long-term implications.
- Increase research in a number of areas:
- The reasons for recent increases in inductions and deliveries by caesarean section in late preterm pregnancies.
- How to modify the trend towards late child bearing, including identifying factors that influence the decision to delay conception.
- Economic impact of preterm birth on the health system and society at large.
In addition to the host, conference partners included Institute for Health Economics, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Integrated Centre for Care Advancement through Research, Calgary Health Region, and Capital Health.
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