World Prematurity Day

November 17 is world premature day, an important day to support families with premature babies and raise awareness about their problems. In our country, approximately 1.300.000 babies are born every year and 150.000 of them are born prematurely.

What is Prematurity?

If the birth is before 37 weeks of gestation, it is defined as premature birth and since the baby is born before the organ systems are fully mature, the risk of encountering some problems increases. The smaller the gestational week and birth weight of the baby (especially if it is less than 32 weeks and 1500 grams), the higher the risks. Today, as a result of developments in obstetric care, risky pregnancies are detected early and the health of mother and baby are tried to be protected with appropriate treatment.
However, in some cases, premature birth is inevitable. With the advances in neonatology (newborn science), the survival of very low birth weight babies is increasing. In our country, survival rate of 70% in babies with a birth weight of 750-1000 grams and over 90% if the birth weight is over 1000 grams has begun to be possible.

What are the Causes of Premature Birth?

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Mother's age under 18 and over 40 years

Mother's infections

Anatomical problems in the uterus (webbed uterus, laxity of the cervix, etc.)

Plasenta (wife of the baby) problems (placenta is leading or separating from its place)

Chronic diseases of the mother (hypertension, rheumatism, etc.)

Multiple pregnancies

In order to prevent premature birth;

• The mother has a healthy diet and does not smoke,
• Premature mothers who have had a premature birth use drugs that prevent uterine contractions (progesterone) during pregnancy,
• If the cervix is ​​loosened, the cervix is ​​made durable by cerclage method,
• Reducing multiple pregnancy rates by transferring 1 or 2 embryos during IVF treatments,
• Family education and close pregnancy follow-up .

What are the Problems that May Occur in Premature Babies?

Early period:

• Respiratory distress (RDS)
• feeding problems
• Susceptibility to infections
• Hemorrhages in the brain and damage due to low oxygen
• Bone resorption

Post-discharge period:

• Neurological problems (5-10%)
• Not gaining enough weight (10%)
• Eye problems (10%)
• Hearing problems (1%)

What Should Premature Baby Families Pay Attention to?

After the premature baby is discharged from the intensive care unit, the baby should be checked by a neonatal specialist or an experienced pediatrician.
The baby's eye and hearing screenings should be done on time and completely.
Because the immune system is not fully developed, there may be susceptibility to infections, crowded environments should not be entered, and general hygiene rules should be followed. All vaccines of the baby should be administered according to chronological age and without dose reduction.
The baby's nutrition, monthly weight, height and head circumference increase should be followed. The neurological development of the baby should be followed closely, and high-risk babies should be included in the early intervention program and physiotherapy should be started.

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