Premie's surely have slight pH buffer immediately available to moderate shifts in the micro-time event rate down in the realm of protein molecules. Their buffer response time might seem instant to gross observation to us but be slow enough in molecular micro-time for brief swings outside the physiologic pH range of viability. Briefly deformed proteins could impair cells in some permanent way then return to normal configuration leaving no evidence but the imparement. Girls buffer reserve will be even more shallow than generally larger boys in all stages but most dangerously so in premies. Langerhans cells by design are among the most quickly reactive to the systemic environment in molecular micro-time. A little cell or protein attrition so early may well have big serious gross chronic clinical consequences years later. So once detached from mother's pH reserve, challenges need be protected against somehow and gross pH stability in our reference frame should not be assumed down in the realm of atoms and molecules where epic histories can unfold beneath our notice. At least consider the possibility please.
Something new to frighten expecting parents with.
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@Dorothea Simon
No, actually, it's quite interesting, and it means OBs are working harder than they used to, even 10 years ago, to prevent babies from being born even a little early. The cut-off used in the study was 37 weeks. My son was born by planned C-section at exactly 37 weeks because I had pre-clampsia. Had I been giving birth now, doctors would have treated my preeclampsia, keeping him in Utero for another week, say, rather than refraining from treating me and just yanking him at 37 weeks. As it is, even though he was born full-length and didn't need to go to the NICU, he was painfully thin and has shown signs of hypoglycemia since he was a toddler.
This article could help parents negotiate with their doctors, or convince women who have a history of going into early labor to go on bed rest.
Would be helpful to define "premature." Also to note if risk increases in accordance w the number of weeks preemie.
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Thank you NYT for recognising that T1 and T2 are not the same condition. Very rare in the media these days.
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