November is Prematurity Awareness Month with World Prematurity Day celebrated yearly on November 17. This is an opportunity to raise awareness of the risks associated with preterm births, the efforts to educate and prevent pre-term births as well as give more babies a healthy start in life.
The Problem
According to the CDC, premature birth is the biggest contributor for infant death, with most preterm-related deaths occurring among infants who were born before 32 weeks. There are an estimated 15 million preterm births each year resulting in almost 1 million deaths due to complications. Surviving preterm infants may spend weeks or months hospitalized in an NICU and may face lifelong problems such as intellectual and learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, respiratory problems, visual problems, feeding and digestive problems, and hearing loss.
Prevalence
The WHO states that while more than 60% of preterm births occur in Africa and South Asia, preterm birth is a global problem. In 2014, 1 of every 10 babies in the United States was born prematurely. It is no surprise that survival rates for preterm infants is dramatically lower in lower-income countries.
Risk Factors
Although most preterm deliveries happen spontaneously, some are due to early induction or C-section for medical or non-medical reasons. Other risk factors include:
Measures to improve health and lower the risk of preterm delivery
Project Baby Madeline
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin will be sharing a very special event this Prematurity Awareness Day. On November 16, 17, and 18 at 1pm CT / 2pm ET, they will go live from their NICU to offer a glimpse inside the intricate care that goes into helping a four pound neonate survive, sharing their daily thoughts and answering your questions as they hand over the camera to one mom to share her story. This will be led by one of the NICU nurses in an effort to bring awareness to the issue of prematurity that continues to affect families around the globe and to give hope and strength to others going through a similar experience.
Baby Madeline was born in July, 2015 at 24 weeks gestation, weighing just over one pound. Her parents had traveled to Children's Hospital in Wisconsin for care after learning that the twins they were pregnant with suffered from twin-to-twin-transfusion syndrome (TTTS), an imbalance in the blood flow between identical twins who share a placenta. Madeline was getting too much while her twin, Lydia, was not getting enough. Lydia sadly passed away after birth. But Madeline survived. And today, after three months in the NICU, she continues to get stronger.
Baby Madeline is not alone. Join her family. See through the eyes of the most delicate patient.
How to participate and watch live
There are two ways you can join the live broadcast:
For more information about this broadcast, go to GE Healthcare - Home | Facebook
Edited to add videos of daily broadcasts
This is the first of the Baby Madeline videos from November 16, 2015
My highest appreciation and respect go to those of you who work with the tiniest of patients. You are there to protect and care for all their needs, including providing loving human touch. You work with their parents, educating and calming their fear. I'm sure you have many special memories of the numerous little wee ones you have helped to launch into the world. Please share some of those memories with us.
About tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN
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