{"id":75410,"date":"2017-11-17T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-17T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/75410\/focus-on-premature-babies\/"},"modified":"2017-11-17T11:20:24","modified_gmt":"2017-11-17T09:20:24","slug":"focus-on-premature-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/news-headlines\/2017\/11\/17\/focus-on-premature-babies\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on premature babies"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Prematurity Day<\/a> is observed on 17 November each year. www.mobserver.co.za<\/strong><\/a> spoke to paediatrician<\/a> Dr Riekert Swart about this often traumatic experience.<\/p>\n

Stats on premature babies<\/h4>\n

\u2022 Around 15 million babies are born prematurely annually, that is 1 in 10 babies born worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Of these, around 1 million babies die from complications due to prematurity.<\/p>\n

\u2022 More than three-quarters of these babies could be saved through better access to quality care and medicines for both mother and baby.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Preterm is defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Extreme premature babies are born before 28 weeks gestation while babies born between 36-37 weeks are late premature babies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo: parents.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many survivors face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities<\/a>, visual problems and hearing problems. Globally, prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5. In almost all countries with reliable data, preterm birth rates are increasing.<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

Preterm birth occurs for a variety of reasons:<\/h4>\n