Today, November 17 is recognized as World Prematurity Day, and cities around the world are using the color purple to light up buildings, bridges and other monuments.
Premature birth is the leading cause of death among children under age 5. According to the March of Dimes, around 15 million babies are born prematurely each year around the world, and an estimated one million die due to complications. To see how Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana compare to other states, check out the March of Dimes’ 2016 report card.
Why are premature births so detrimental (compared to full-term births)?
Here are a few common complications due to premature birth and/or low birth weight:
- Trouble breathing due to an immature respiratory system, which can lead to chronic lung disease and apnea
- Heart problems, including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Bleeding in the brain, which may be mild or could transpire into larger brain bleeding, which causes permanent brain injury
- Problems controlling body temperature, such as hypothermia, which can exasperate breathing problems and produce low blood sugar levels
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potentially serious condition, in which the cells lining the bowel wall are injured, due to immature gastrointestinal systems
- Anemia, a blood disorder due to a low red blood cell count, and jaundice can both occur, especially if the newborn’s blood is drawn regularly for lab tests
- Metabolism issues, such as hypoglycemia happen because premature babies typically have smaller stores of glycogen due to immature livers
- Minor infections can become serious or even life-threatening due to compromised or weak immune systems
Long-term, premies can also have dental, vision and hearing problems, as well as impaired cognitive abilities and behavioral problems.
Research is still needed to understand the causes of premature births, and help prevent them from happening.
What can be done to prevent premature birth?
The infographic below details a few risk factors and tips from the March of Dimes.
Click here to see what other ways you can show your support.
