Everyyear, incountriesrichandpoor, morethanonemillionbabiesdiebecausetheyarebornprematurely. Manyofthetinyinfantswhosurvivesufferlifelongdisabilities. Inrecentyears, organizationsfocusedonchildhealthhavebeentryingtoraiseawarenessaboutthedangersofprematurebirthsandwhatcanbedonetopreventthem. That'sthepurposeofWorldPrematurityDaytoday. It'salsoadaytoeducatemothersabouthowtocareforbabieswhoareborntoosoon.
Thistinynewbornisoneofmorethan 15 millionbabieswhostarttheirliveswithamajordisadvantage...beingborntoosoon.
Pretermbirthisthegreatestkillerofnewbornsaroundtheworld, yetmostofthesebabiescouldbesaved, accordingtoDr. JoyLawnwithSavetheChildren.
"Mostofthosebabiesdon'tneedintensivecare," saidLawn. "Theycouldbesavedwith 'kangaroo-mother' care.. tyingthebabytothemother'sfront, beingabletobreastfeed, betterweightgain, bettertemperaturecontrol, avoidinginfections."
AninternationalcoalitionobservesWorldPrematurityDayonNovember 17. It'spartofaglobalefforttoreducethenumberofprematurebirthsworldwideandtosavetheoneofeverytennewbornswhoaredeliveredprematurely.
ChristopherHowsenisanepidemiologistwiththeMarchofDimes.
"There'salotthatcanbedonewithrespecttopreventionandthekeyforthatbeginsinhigh-incomecountries," saidHowsen.
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