- Each year the birth of 15 million premature children is reported worldwide, although the number continues to increase.
- The new recommendations are aimed at mothers of premature babies (born before 37 weeks of gestation) or small babies (less than 2.5 kg at birth).
- One of the biggest changes mentions that skin-to-skin contact with the caregiver should take place immediately after birth, known as the “kangaroo mother care”, instead of dedicating the first phase after delivery to incubator care.
Pregnancy is a stage of great importance for any woman because what she most desires is to have a healthy child. Sometimes it is achieved but there are also some inconveniences that can put the integrity of the minor at risk. Premature babies are one of the most common and to avoid fatal consequences it is necessary to apply special measures.
A big problem
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) each year around 15 million premature babies are born although the number continues to rise. Complications associated with births of this type caused around one million deaths in 2015.
The same organization estimates that three quarters of deaths can be prevented with simple and cost-effective care in a consistent manner, offering essential health services during the childbirth and postnatal period for mother and infants.
New international recommendations
With the above in mind, today the WHO presented the new guidelines to improve the chances of survival and health outcomes of premature babies (born before 37 weeks of gestation) or small (less than 2.5 kg at birth).
According to these guidelines, immediately after birth should occur the skin-to-skin contact with the caregiver, known as the “kangaroo mother care”instead of dedicating the first phase after delivery to incubator care.
This procedure is a significant departure from previous guidance and current clinical practice, reflecting the immense health benefits of having the caregiver and their preterm infant together after birth, rather than being separated.
These guidelines also offer recommendations for ensure emotional, financial and workplace support for families of babies born very small or prematurelywho could face situations of stress and extraordinary difficulties due to the demands of intensive care of their babies and the anxiety generated by their state of health.
“Premature babies can survive, thrive and change the world, but every baby must be given that opportunity. These guidelines show that improving outcomes for these young babies is not always about finding solutions based on the latest technology, but about ensuring access to essential health care focused on the needs of families,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General.
The chances of survival continue to present important variations depending on the place of birth. While in high-income countries most babies born at 28 weeks’ gestation or beyond survive, in the poorest countries survival rates may be as low as 10%.
Avoid deadly consequences
Most of the premature babies they can be saved by applying feasible and cost-effective measures, including quality care before, during and after childbirth, prevention and treatment of the most common infections, and the “kangaroo mother care”.
Because they suffer from a lack of body fat, many of them have trouble regulating their temperature at birth and often require medical assistance to breathe. Previous recommendations for these babies called for separating them from their primary caregiver during the early phase, in order to stabilize them in an incubator or warmer. This process would last, on average, between three and seven days. However, research has now shown that starting kangaroo care right after delivery saves many more lives, reduces infections and hypothermia, and improves feeding.
While these new recommendations are especially targeted at the poorest settings, where there may be no access to high-tech equipment or even a reliable electricity supply, they are also valid for high-income settings. In this sense, these guidelines call for rethinking the way neonatal intensive care is delivered, in order to guarantee that parents and newborns can be together at all times.
In the guidelines it consistently and strongly recommends breastfeeding to improve health outcomes for preterm and low birth weight infants, as it has been shown empirically to reduce the risks of infection compared to infant formula feeding. When breast milk is not available, the best alternative is donor human milk, although in the absence of donated milk banks, fortified ‘preterm infant formula’ can be used.
The guidelines, which take into account the observations made by families collected in more than 200 studies, also advocate strengthening the emotional and financial support offered to caregivers. The guidelines state that parental leave is needed to help families care for the infant, while government and regulatory policies and rights must ensure that families of preterm and low birth weight babies receive sufficient financial support and in the Workplace.
Also read:
How to support patients with a premature baby?
Ophthalmological screening, vital to prevent blindness in premature babies
IMSS opens its first Neurodevelopment Center for premature babies