Other content tagged: preterm birth
Information about impending preterm birth – Gap between parents’ needs and current practice
One out of ten newborns is born preterm, meaning birth occurs more than three weeks earlier than the expected date. These babies have higher morbidity and mortality, requiring special medical support from Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). For parents, a preterm birth is associated with uncertainty, stress, and potential loss. Effective information exchange about impending preterm birth between families and medical staff is necessary to improve the well-being of both newborns and parents. However,…
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Exploring the difference in life satisfaction of parents with term born and preterm infants
Preterm birth is associated with higher morbidity and mortality of the newborn and possible developmental delay. Parents of preterm children experience increased levels of stress, not only in the period after birth but also years later. To gain a better understanding of the particular situation of families with preterm children, parents in the German Socio-Economic Panel and the British Understanding Society Study were asked to assess their life satisfaction before, during, and after…
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Putting the needs of preterm babies on the political agenda in Romania
Guest article by Diana Gamulescu, Co-founder and President of Asociatia Prematurilor in Romania. Preterm birth as health challenge in Romania In Romania, over 20,000 babies are born preterm each year, i.e. about 10% of all births. Experts recognise the major challenges preterm births pose for public health and the neonatal system in the country. Risks associated with being born too soon include an increased mortality rate and severe disability. In addition, many of these children experience neurodevelopmental difficulties, such as…
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Angels for parents with empty arms
Guest article by Veronika Kmetóny Gazdová of our Slovakian partner from parent organisation Malíček. Preterm birth is a risk for both the woman and the baby. The fragility of life is seen especially in those families whose are leaving the hospital with empty arms. Malíček initiated a project to commemorate those lives as well as support families in their grief. Malíček donates the memorial called “little angels” to perinatal centres across Slovakia. The project builds on the activities of…
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Family reflections: preterm birth and the power of parent involvement in research
In a heart-touching testimony that emphasises the power of patient and family involvement in neonatal research, Fabiana Bacchini's journey with her preterm-born child leads to significant insights into the care of preterm infants beyond hospital walls. Her story underscores the critical role parents play not only in their child's immediate well-being but also in driving long-term positive outcomes for the whole neonatal community. In her article, Fabiana Bacchini, a resilient mother of twins…
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PICAPP – An app to support the development of preterm babies
Guest article by Livia Nagy, founder of “Right(s) beside you Association” (“Melletted a helyem Egyesület”) One in 11 newborns in Hungary is born preterm. Families are caught unprepared facing preterm birth and one of the main objectives of the “Right(s) beside you Association” (“Melletted a helyem Egyesület”) is to support parents in this unexpected life situation from the very beginning in the NICU. Lack of information but also fears from inappropriate internet materials further complicate the situation for parents. The…
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Welcome, Paul, to Lithuania!
A guest article by Asta Speičytė-Radzevičienė, head of Lithuanian parent organisation Neišnešiotukas Last year, in 2022, about 1,200 preterm babies were born in Lithuania. However, the worldwide birth rate has been steadily declining for over 50 years. Every baby matters! Thanks to the collaboration with AmerisourceBergen, Lithuania received an innovative simulator Paul which precisely recreates a preterm 27-weeks-old baby. Such an innovative solution, which is created in Austria by SIMCharacters, contributes to the education…
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Preterm birth and parent-child relationships: the long-term impact for children and adolescents
The family environment influences the child's social-emotional development. Especially in preterm-born children, these influences seem to be greater than in peers born at term. O'Brien and others studied the relationship between preterm children and their parent-child relationship. The findings show that there is a stronger link between maternal conflict and increased socioemotional difficulties in very preterm children than in children born at term. Preterm birth (<37 weeks of gestation) may lead to many negative…
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Relation between vaginal hygiene practices and spontaneous preterm birth
Researchers from the Netherlands wanted to find out if there is an association between vaginal hygiene practices before and during pregnancy and spontaneous preterm birth. As one of the results, the study suggests that there is a relation between the use of vaginal gel and spontaneous preterm birth. Therefore, a new potential risk factor could have been discovered with this research, and women should be informed about it. Every year, one in ten babies is…
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Global trends in preterm birth from 1990-2019
In a recent study from China, data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study have been analysed to show trends in preterm birth. Deaths and incident cases decreased globally, but on a regional and national level, preterm birth rates also increased. Preterm birth is a global issue. Almost 15 million infants were born too soon (preterm) in 2014, with a global incidence rate of 10.6%. Despite improvements in medical care, increases in preterm…
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