Читать книгу An Intimate History of Premature Birth - Sarah DiGregorio - Страница 6

Throughout this book, for flow and simplicity, I refer to preterm babies as preterm, premature, or, more casually, preemies. The current medical term is “preterm,” not “premature,” but, since they are both commonly used in the vernacular, I use them both.

In some cases I refer to a fetus as a baby, because that is how some people think of their fetuses, especially as the pregnancy progresses. In some instances, I have used it to accurately describe the way parents thought of their pregnancies.

In places, there are references to “pregnant women” instead of “pregnant people,” which might be read as conflating womanhood and the biological capacity for pregnancy, which is not always the case. Trans men and nonbinary people can also get pregnant and experience everything that pregnancy might entail, and I hope people of all genders will feel included by this book.

If there’s one thing I have learned, it’s that good physicians do not always agree; in fact, they more often disagree. The scientific and medical information in this book is as accurate as possible at the time of this writing—it changes all the time—but it is not comprehensive. I have not covered every possible iteration of preterm birth, nor is this a book to turn to for medical advice. If you are in need of medical advice, the very best thing you can do is ask your clinician, who knows your child, who is unique in the world. Show up with a notebook and a pen, and don’t be afraid to keep asking questions until you understand.

One name has been changed, and several last names omitted, to protect privacy. Some details have been omitted for the same reason. But nothing inaccurate has been added. Interviews have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Finally, there are parts of this book that might not be comfortable for pregnant people to read. There are parts that might be hard on parents whose babies are still in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It’s true that giving birth prematurely is frightening and there can be long-term health implications. But the larger, overarching truth is this: The vast majority of babies born prematurely go on to live happy, healthy lives. No one wants to see their child face challenges. But the better information and support you have, the easier everything will be.