World Prematurity Day is celebrated internationally on November 17th with aim to raise awareness of the challenges and burden of preterm birth, that is the birth of a child before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
The Clinic for Children’s Diseases, University Clinical Center Tuzla has traditionally joined the celebration of the day. On this occasion, 10 babies socks, 9 in one and 1 in a different color were set up at the entrance of the Clinic for Children’s Diseases and the Department of Neonatology to show that that one baby in 10 is born premature.
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal death in developed and developing countries, and the second leading cause of death in children under five years. According to data from the World Health Organization, the incidence of preterm birth is 5 to 10%, which means that every tenth child in the world is born preterm.
Today, the lowest limit for labor is considered 22 weeks of pregnancy. The limit is related to the possibility of the earliest age at which preterm babies now survive. Nowadays, the advances in technology and progress of neonatal care have helped 90% preterm babies to survive, even those preterms with only 500 grams BW.
World Prematurity Day acknowledges the journeys of preterm infants and their families as well as raises awareness of the challenges faced by children born preterm and their parents.