World Prematurity Day: Preterm birth is a severe issue.

Key Fact

In 2020 an estimated 13.4 million babies born preterm. that is more than 1 in 10 babies.
Approximately 900,000 children death in 2019. preterm birth is a leading cause of death among children under age 5 years.
Across countries rate of preterm birth range from 4% to 16%.
Three-quarter of these deaths could be prevented with current and cost-effective. intervention.
17 November is the world prematurity day.

Overview

What is preterm birth?
Preterm is defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks.
Premature or early birth can pose serious health risks to a newborn baby. That’s because many organs like the brain, lungs, and liver, are still growing and developing in the final weeks of pregnancy.

Types of preterm birth

Preterm divided into 4 category

Late preterm: Born Between 34 and 36 weeks. Most of the baby born in this stage.

Moderately preterm: Born between 32 and 34 weeks.
Very preterm: Born before 32 weeks.

Extremely preterm: Born before 25 weeks.

Why does Preterm birth happened?

Preterm birth occurs for a variety of reasons. In most of the case preterm birth happen suddenly, with no one cause. Some are due to medical reasons:

Chronic diseases like diabetes or heart diseases.
Placental condition like placentral abruption or placenta previa.
Preeclampsia.
Expecting multiple. About 60% of twins and triplets are born preterm.
Problem with uterus or cervix.
Vaginal bleeding or infection.

Complication

Anemia
Apnea of prematurity or temporary pause in breathing
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Intraventircular hemorrhage.
New born jaundice.
Necrotizing enterocolitis.

Premature baby also have some serious high risk complication such as:

Cerebral palsy.
Hearing and vision problem.
Learning disabilities.
Poor growth leads problem in communication or social development.

Prevention

Preventing deaths and complications from preterm birth starts with a healthy pregnancy. interventions to help prevent preterm birth, such as counselling on healthy diet, optimal nutrition, and tobacco and substance use; fetal measurements including use of early ultrasound to help determine gestational age and detect multiple pregnancies; and a minimum of 8 contacts with health professionals throughout pregnancy – starting before 12 weeks – to identify and manage risk factors such as infections.

If a woman experiences preterm labour or is at risk of preterm childbirth, treatments are available to help protect the preterm baby from future neurological impairment as well as difficulties with breathing and infection. These include antenatal steroids and tocolytic treatment to delay labour and antibiotics for preterm prolabour rupture of membranes.