Greetings! I found this in the local paper today. Anybody know more about it?

'Birth Score' measures infant morality risks  (note: me thinks they forgot a "t"
in the headline!)

The eight factors used fo the Sheffield Birth Score help determine whether a
newborn may be at risk for death.

Factors and scores were developed from statistical analysis of infants who did
between the ages of 28 days and one year.

Infants who score a 530 or higher are considered at-risk.

*Mother's age: The younger the mother, the higher the score ranging from 380
points for a 12yrold to 100 for 40 and older.

*Mother's blood group: Type A scores a zero. All others receive a 44. [curious.
Any ideas why? Glad to know I have the "right" type!]

*Length of the pushing stage of labor: The shorter the time, the greater the
score, ranging from 127 points for less than 5 minutes to 18 for more than two
hours. [Again, curious. Wouldn't a longer pushing time mean more stress for the
baby?]

*Number of previous pregnancies: The more, the higher the score, ranging from
192 for nine or more to zero for none.

*Birth weight: The smaller the baby, the higher the score. A baby weighing less
than 4.4 pounds receives a 93, while a baby weighing more than 9.8 pounds
receives a zero.

*BREAST OR BOTTLE FEEDING[!! Caps mine!] Breast feeding receives a zero. Formula
or a combination receives a 38. [For those of you who are not "statistically
challenged," does that translate into a formula-fed baby is 38 times more likely
to die before 1 year than a breastfed one?] [If "breast feeding" rates a zero,
do you suppose "breastfeeding" or--dare I say it--"nursing" would rate a
negative number?? Does it drive anybody else nuts to see the media steadfastly
refuse to make breastfeeding one unhyphenated word??]

*Urinary tract infections during pregnancy: An infection receives a 54. None
receives a zero.

*Single or multiple birth. Multiple births score a 103. Single births receive a
zero.

This was in the Jackson, TN daily paper, The Jackson Sun, p. 7B from the
Associated Press. Sorry for peppering the article with my own comments! Now why
would having type A blood be more  important than breastfeeding? At least it
beat out urinary tract infections!

I wish they had given a reference for this one. I suspect some of this makes
more sense in the actual study.... Comments?

Melissa Vickers, IBCLC
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