Hammill 1

Alyson Hammill
E. Caruso
UWRT 1103
17 November 2015
Defense Paper
As most can conclude, being deprived of oxygen around the time of birth can be very
harmful and potentially fatal. Studies done on this topic have shown that it can cause lifelong
injuries to infants. If these conditions are not treated properly, they can become worse or nonfatal conditions can turn fatal (Mild Oxygen Deprivation). There can also be risks to the
mother during pregnancy as well (Safe Motherhood). One of the main ways to treat or prevent
this is to inform mothers about the risks to their childs life and their own that could come with
improper care before, during, and after pregnancy.
One way to inform parents about the importance of risks that can result from lack of
proper medical treatment is to produce brochures and/or flyers. HIE is hypoxic ischemic
encephalopathy which is the deprivation of oxygen to a babys brain around the time of birth.
Even the first few minutes are crucial when dealing with hypoxia in infants because even that
short amount of time can cause long term problems. HIE can result in death, cerebral palsy,
developmental delays, and epilepsy. Usually HIE is characterized by seizures and consciousness
problems. Children who have suffered from HIE mildly start to show signs of ADD and speech
delays around the age of five. Children who have suffered from HIE severely to moderately
show higher risk for poor memory, lower IQs, and slow processing skills. If mothers do not
know how severe these risk factors are, they will not know how to get the right treatment and

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care. HIE typically occurs in four out of every one thousand full term births (Mild Oxygen
Deprivation). The first stage of brain jury is brain cell damage is what happens within the first
few minutes and the second stage is reperfusion injury happens after blood flow and oxygen flow
are restored (Infant Brain Damage). In attempts to correct HIE therapeutic hypothermia where
the babys body is cooled to between 32 and 34 degrees Celsius immediately after birth and is
maintained for about 72 hours (Mild Oxygen Deprivation).
Along with the babys health, the mothers health can be put in jeopardy if there are not
enough or proper medical figures present before, during, and after delivery. The mortality rate of
mothers in the United States in 2004 were approximately thirteen deaths for every 100,000 live
births. Some of the biggest risk factors that can lead to maternal death is blood clots,
hemorrhaging, high blood pressure, amniotic fluid in the blood stream, stroke, bacterial
infection, and heart disease. Women should be made aware and informed about what could come
from poor care around the time of pregnancy. They have a right to know what could happen to
them. In 2001, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) began working nationally and
internationally to develop plans to promote safe motherhood. Antibiotics, better procedures, and
infection control have aided in declining the mortality rate of mothers of the past one hundred
years, but recent studies have found that almost half of all deaths due to complications with
pregnancy could be avoided if all women had better access to proper health care and made
healthier changes to their lifestyle with the proper care (Safe Motherhood).
Practicing safe motherhood is crucial in developing a thriving and prosperous nation as
well as keeping home life and families stable. Reducing infant mortality and improving mothers
health have become two goals of the United Nations eight millennium development goals. The
Safe Motherhood and Infant Care project is put in place to ensure free and safe infant and

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motherhood care to mothers who cannot afford the health care on their own. It assists in proper
infrastructure development and expanding basic healthcare facilities and services (SMIC
Project).
Ultimately, these flyers or brochures should be placed in virtually any type of doctors
office. It would promote proper prenatal care and put mothers and parents on alert as to why this
is necessary and what could happen if they do not receive this treatment and care. In an OB/GYN
they would be helpful in informing mothers or soon-to-be mothers about proper health care for
them and their child before, during, and after delivery. Being placed in primary care doctors
offices would inform anyone about these dangers and could spark a chain reaction in eventually
getting back to someone who this information would be useful to. If this were placed in a
pediatricians office, a new parent or mother could see it and realize she needs to make sure she
and her child are getting the proper care or it could inform a current parent with an older child
who is wanting to have more children about the importance of taking this step of safe
motherhood and infancy with their next child.

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Works Cited (Original)
Even Mild Oxygen Deprivation at Birth May Cause Birth Injury Morrow Kidman Tinker
Macey-Cushman, PLLC. Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC. N.p., n.d. 03
Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.
Brody, Jane. Brain Injury in Newborns Could Have Many Causes. HT Health. N.p., n.d. Web.
23 Sept. 2015.
Infant Brain Damage | Birth Injury Guide. Birth Injury Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
What is Cerebral Palsy? Cerebral Palsy Alliance. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
Effects, Signs, & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy. Ascent Childrens Health Services Effects Signs
Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy Comments. N.p.,n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
Signs and Symptoms. Cerebral Palsy.org N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.
Cerebral Palsy Symptoms, Causes, Treatment How Is Cerebral Palsy Treated?
MedicineNet. MedicineNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2015.

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Works Cited (New)
Safe Motherhood: Promoting Health for Women Before, During, and After Pregnancy 2008.
Atlanta, Ga.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, 2008. Internet resource.
"Safe Motherhood and Infant Care (SMIC) Project." Telenor Group. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov.
2015.