But your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.

So, today I walked in the March of Dimes WalkAmerica walkathon in Austin. It was a 5K/3.2 mile walk from the river up to the state house and back again. I raised $235 and got a bit of a sunburn, despite the 35 spf lotion that covered all exposed skin. I feel good about taking part in the walkathon and I support the March of Dimes, but I still have mixed feelings about the whole preemie issue. It goes back to the great Jeff Goldblum quote from Jurassic Park that titles today's blog.

This is what I know. Infant Mortality rates had been declining, but since 2002 or so, they have been increasing. The greatest increase is in the early neonatal mortality rate, the first 7 days of life. What else has been increasing? The use of ART (assisted reproductive technology) and the incidence of multiple births. Twins are common and triplets, quadruplets and even quintuplets aren't a rarity. Why? Science. Human women only have two breasts because they were only ever meant to nurse one, tops two, babies at a time. If we were meant to have litters we would be equipped with six or eight nipples like dogs, cats or rabbits. And for those of you not familiar with multiple birth gestation, you basically expect to lose around 4 weeks for each additional baby. So with twins, you're lucky to carry to 36 weeks (instead of 40), triplets, 32 and so on. Then keep in mind that they're sharing one placenta, not necessarily in a particularly equitable manner, and you're got some really shaking ground to start with. And that's before they even check into the NICU.

But back to the babies dying in the first seven days of life ~ major cause of death? Preterm delivery and very low birthweight. We've taken the NICU treatments as far as we can ~ we've stretched the limits of our technology. When do we start asking the question about whether or not a child was really meant to live? When do we consider palliative care over heroic measures? It can't be a pleasant few hours or days of life with all those tubes coming in and out of you. When we know, KNOW, that we probably can't save them, why do we put these babies through the agony?

Because we're selfish. We don't like death. We do everything possible to avoid it. (Everything, that is except eat properly, exercise regularly and get all the appropriate medical screenings.) When I discuss this with other people, they say that it's different when it's your child, but I still don't see myself wanting my child to suffer needlessly. There is enough of that in life that can't be avoided without inflicting it in on those you love.