Teen born months early educates public on prematurity

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Laura Krumwiede was supposed to be a New Year's baby.

Instead, she came into the world three months early, kicking and screaming with such force that she had to be sedated. She weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces, and was given only a 20 percent chance of survival.

Day after day, as she lay in an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, her parents, David and Candyce, anxiously watched for signs of progress. Her body was no bigger than the palm of her father's hand. His wedding band fit over her arm like a loose bracelet. Her translucent skin was a thin sheath covering her tiny bones. For more than two months, her face was partially masked by a respirator hose taped securely over her mouth.

By most odds, she shouldn't have survived. But she did. She could have suffered from any number of major physical disabilities, including cerebral palsy, heart problems and bleeding of the brain. But she didn't.

That Laura has grown into a healthy, happy 18-year-old is, in large part, due to her determination to succeed, the love and support of her family, and the availability of treatments developed by March of Dimes researchers.

The Krumwiedes of Naperville have been active supporters of the March of Dimes.

As a March of Dimes Goodwill Ambassador, Laura has been telling her story again in recent weeks in an effort to raise money for the organization's campaign on premature births.

"I am a success story," said Laura, a senior at Waubonsie Valley High School. "Having me up there can give other people with premature babies hope that they can have healthy babies."

One of eight babies is born prematurely, and premature birth is the leading cause of death for all babies under one year of age," Laura said. Each year in Illinois, approximately 22,300 babies are born before term.

Since 1981, the rate of premature births is up 27 percent.

Candyce Krumwiede, who previously ran the March of Dimes Illinois campaign promoting the use of folic acid during pregnancy, said more women need to be educated about prematurity.

"I think it's very important that the word gets out that prenatal care is very important, and prenatal care starts even before you think about pregnancy," she said. "For young girls, it's taking care of their bodies and eating right."

Although she took care of herself, Candyce had difficulty carrying a baby to term. Unknown to her at the time, she had a bone marrow disorder that caused her body to reject her fetuses. During her fourth pregnancy -- with Laura -- she prayed that she would be able to keep her child in her womb for at least 34 weeks. But Candyce became seriously ill with toxemia, which put stress on her lungs, heart and kidneys. Her blood counts plummeted and she required several transfusions.

After only 27 weeks of gestation, doctors were forced to deliver Laura early.