Altitude, Low Birth Weight, And Infant Mortality In Colorado

[AlphaCog]

Altitude, Low Birth Weight, and Infant Mortality in Colorado
A decrease in birth weight occurs at high altitude, but its relationship to infant mortality is unclear. We examined Colorado vital statistics recorded from 1979 through 1982 to determine whether high altitude increased infant mortality and whether decreased birth weight contributed to the mortality observed. Retardation of intrauterine growth reduced birth weight and doubled the frequency of low-birth-weight infants from the lowest (915 to 1523 m [3000 to 4999 ft]) to the highest (≥2744 m [≥9000 ft]) altitude in the state. Low birth weight increased mortality risk, but the mortality risk of low birth weight was decreased at high compared with low altitudes, resulting in similar infant mortality rates throughout the state. This finding differed from that of 1969 through 1973 when infant mortality doubled at high altitude. A 46% infant mortality reduction had occurred statewide over the ten years due chiefly to decreased mortality risk for preterm low-birth-weight infants. This reduction, particularly pronounced at high altitude, might have been due to better identification and transport of high-risk pregnancies to hospitals with tertiary neonatal treatment centers.

 

[Beastmode]

Altitude, Low Birth Weight, and Infant Mortality in Colorado
A decrease in birth weight occurs at high altitude, but its relationship to infant mortality is unclear. We examined Colorado vital statistics recorded from 1979 through 1982 to determine whether high altitude increased infant mortality and whether decreased birth weight contributed to the mortality observed. Retardation of intrauterine growth reduced birth weight and doubled the frequency of low-birth-weight infants from the lowest (915 to 1523 m [3000 to 4999 ft]) to the highest (≥2744 m [≥9000 ft]) altitude in the state. Low birth weight increased mortality risk, but the mortality risk of low birth weight was decreased at high compared with low altitudes, resulting in similar infant mortality rates throughout the state. This finding differed from that of 1969 through 1973 when infant mortality doubled at high altitude. A 46% infant mortality reduction had occurred statewide over the ten years due chiefly to decreased mortality risk for preterm low-birth-weight infants. This reduction, particularly pronounced at high altitude, might have been due to better identification and transport of high-risk pregnancies to hospitals with tertiary neonatal treatment centers.

My wife and I had a pre-term baby (36.5 weeks) and she was 4 lbs, 15 oz. We've talked about having another when my wife's system is really strong and moving from sea level (where we had our first) to higher elevation (5000+ ft) would be ideal. So many factors to consider.

I forwarded the article link to Peat. I'll post here if I get a response.

 

[AlphaCog]

My wife and I had a pre-term baby (36.5 weeks) and she was 4 lbs, 15 oz. We've talked about having another when my wife's system is really strong and moving from sea level (where we had our first) to higher elevation (5000+ ft) would be ideal. So many factors to consider.

I forwarded the article link to Peat. I'll post here if I get a response.

Carbon dioxide is healthy but hypoxia isn't. Your fetus don't need "Altitude Training".

Best to have full-term conception at sea level. After birth have adequate time to adjust to each rise in elevation for all your family members.

Article from BabyCenter:
Yes, it is. Not all babies born in the mountains are small, of course, but researchers have found that babies born at high altitudes — above 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) — are about three times as likely to be born small for their age as babies born at low altitudes. In Colorado, for example, birth weight declines an average of just over 3.5 ounces per 3,300 feet of elevation.

And these babies aren't smaller because they're born earlier. In one study, babies who were born at high altitudes between 28 and 35 weeks' gestation weren't any smaller than their lower-elevation preemie counterparts. But infants born later were significantly smaller than babies born at lower elevations.

"It isn't a matter of having time to grow," says Colleen Glyde Julian, researcher at the Altitude Research Center at the University of Colorado Denver. "It's a matter of not having the resources to be able to grow."

The lower pressure at high altitudes means less oxygen is available in the air. Experts believe this results in the baby receiving less oxygen as well as other nutrients. The results are especially apparent in the third trimester, when a baby's growth rate and need for oxygen and nutrients are at their peak.

Researchers have found that babies born to women of native high-altitude ancestry are less affected by altitude. Women whose ancestors lived in the Andes for generations, for instance, deliver heavier babies than women who moved to a high altitude recently.

Spoiler: Sources:

Hartinger S, et al. 2006. Birth weight at high altitudes in Peru. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 93(3):275-81. Birth weight at high altitudes in Peru. - PubMed - NCBI [Accessed June 2016]

Jensen GM, et al. 1997. The effect of high altitude and other risk factors on birthweight: Independent or interactive effects? American Journal of Public Health 87(6):1003-7. The effect of high altitude and other risk factors on birthweight: independent or interactive effects? [Accessed June 2016]

Julian CG, et al. 2008. Lower uterine artery blood flow and higher endothelin relative to nitric oxide metabolite levels are associated with reductions in birth weight at high altitude. Developmental Physiology and Pregnancy 295(3). http://ajpregu.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/295/3/R906 [Accessed June 2016]

Moore LG, et al. 1982. Infant birth weight is related to maternal arterial oxygenation at high altitude. Journal of Applied Physiology 52(3):695-9. http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/52/3/695 [Accessed June 2016]

Unger C, et al. 1988. Altitude, low birth weight, and infant mortality in Colorado. JAMA 259(23):3427-32. Altitude, Low Birth Weight, and Infant Mortality in Colorado [Accessed June 2016]

Zamudio S, et al. 1993. Blood volume expansion, preeclampsia, and infant birth weight at high altitude. Journal of Applied Physiology 75(4):1566-73. Blood volume expansion, preeclampsia, and infant birth weight at high altitude. - PubMed - NCBI [Accessed June 2016]

 

[Beastmode]

Carbon dioxide is healthy but hypoxia isn't. Your fetus don't need "Altitude Training".

Best to have full-term conception at sea level. After birth have adequate time to adjust to each rise in elevation for all your family members.

Article from BabyCenter:
Yes, it is. Not all babies born in the mountains are small, of course, but researchers have found that babies born at high altitudes — above 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) — are about three times as likely to be born small for their age as babies born at low altitudes. In Colorado, for example, birth weight declines an average of just over 3.5 ounces per 3,300 feet of elevation.

And these babies aren't smaller because they're born earlier. In one study, babies who were born at high altitudes between 28 and 35 weeks' gestation weren't any smaller than their lower-elevation preemie counterparts. But infants born later were significantly smaller than babies born at lower elevations.

"It isn't a matter of having time to grow," says Colleen Glyde Julian, researcher at the Altitude Research Center at the University of Colorado Denver. "It's a matter of not having the resources to be able to grow."

The lower pressure at high altitudes means less oxygen is available in the air. Experts believe this results in the baby receiving less oxygen as well as other nutrients. The results are especially apparent in the third trimester, when a baby's growth rate and need for oxygen and nutrients are at their peak.

Researchers have found that babies born to women of native high-altitude ancestry are less affected by altitude. Women whose ancestors lived in the Andes for generations, for instance, deliver heavier babies than women who moved to a high altitude recently.

Spoiler: Sources:

Hartinger S, et al. 2006. Birth weight at high altitudes in Peru. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics 93(3):275-81. Birth weight at high altitudes in Peru. - PubMed - NCBI [Accessed June 2016]

Jensen GM, et al. 1997. The effect of high altitude and other risk factors on birthweight: Independent or interactive effects? American Journal of Public Health 87(6):1003-7. The effect of high altitude and other risk factors on birthweight: independent or interactive effects? [Accessed June 2016]

Julian CG, et al. 2008. Lower uterine artery blood flow and higher endothelin relative to nitric oxide metabolite levels are associated with reductions in birth weight at high altitude. Developmental Physiology and Pregnancy 295(3). http://ajpregu.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/295/3/R906 [Accessed June 2016]

Moore LG, et al. 1982. Infant birth weight is related to maternal arterial oxygenation at high altitude. Journal of Applied Physiology 52(3):695-9. http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/52/3/695 [Accessed June 2016]

Unger C, et al. 1988. Altitude, low birth weight, and infant mortality in Colorado. JAMA 259(23):3427-32. Altitude, Low Birth Weight, and Infant Mortality in Colorado [Accessed June 2016]

Zamudio S, et al. 1993. Blood volume expansion, preeclampsia, and infant birth weight at high altitude. Journal of Applied Physiology 75(4):1566-73. Blood volume expansion, preeclampsia, and infant birth weight at high altitude. - PubMed - NCBI [Accessed June 2016]

Thank you for sharing!

For many years I've heard of parents getting pregnant at higher elevations and being advised to move towards sea level.

I've also heard doctors recommend fish oil, unsaturated fats, grains, etc as important to be healthy.

Going to look more into this as something seems incomplete.

 

[SatoshiPufamoto]

My wife and I had a pre-term baby (36.5 weeks) and she was 4 lbs, 15 oz. We've talked about having another when my wife's system is really strong and moving from sea level (where we had our first) to higher elevation (5000+ ft) would be ideal. So many factors to consider.

I forwarded the article link to Peat. I'll post here if I get a response.

Seems

My wife and I had a pre-term baby (36.5 weeks) and she was 4 lbs, 15 oz. We've talked about having another when my wife's system is really strong and moving from sea level (where we had our first) to higher elevation (5000+ ft) would be ideal. So many factors to consider.

I forwarded the article link to Peat. I'll post here if I get a response.

thats quite a small baby. How is she doing now?