Ten percent of children born in the world do so prematurely, before the 37th week of gestation. In Spain, the number of premature births exceeds seven percent of the total, according to the National Statistics Institute, being one of the European countries with the highest birth rates ahead of time.
The most disconcerting thing about premature births is that neither the family nor the baby itself are prepared for that arrival in the world ahead of time. Babies were expected weeks later, and many even months after their birth, some arrive in the world in extreme prematurity, those born between the 22nd and 28th week of gestation.
Complications of premature babies
Prematurity is a neonatal condition that potentially affects many areas of development. They are more vulnerable to infections, especially necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease that causes the destruction of parts of the intestine, as well as respiratory and gastrointestinal problems due to an immature digestive system.
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), a consequence of the lack of maturation of the lungs, is one of the main problems of premature babies. It prevents normal breathing of the newborn and increases the risk of suffering from other respiratory diseases in adulthood.
In Babies and more Every year 15 million premature babies are born in the world Children who are born prematurely, and more those who do it very soon, are more at risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders and gastrointestinal or respiratory problems.It is very important that due to their condition of prematurity and because of their immature immune system, the recommendations on the immunization of these children are followed to protect them against diseases that could be fatal in their vulnerable situation.
If we ask about the causes of premature births, the president of APREM, Concha Gómez, points out:
“One of the most important causes of premature births is maternal age, higher in countries such as Spain and Italy; phenomenon that has its main explanation in the lack of employment or its precariousness, together with the difficulty that exists in our country to reconcile domestic-family and professional life ”.
More and more humanized care
Medical and technological advances allow for better and better assistance and for more and more premature babies to succeed. Survival rates increase, but still, complications related to prematurity are the leading cause of death in children under five years of age worldwide.
Premature babies are born with low body fat, so skin-to-skin contact is essential to help regulate the temperature, as well as help reduce the stress of medical interventions. The Kangaroo Method has proven effective in accelerating the recovery of babies and that is why more and more hospitals allow parents to stay with their children 24 hours while they have to be admitted.
"When a premature baby is born, the whole family needs care, because it is a type of birth for which no one is prepared," Concha Gómez, president of the Association of Parents and Premature Children (APREM),
In Babies and moreDodot will donate 800,000 diapers to premature babies admitted to the Hospital Neonatology Unit
