All about premature babies

Every year, 15 million premature babies are born in the world. Full-term babies are usually born between weeks 37 and 42; those born before the 37th week are considered premature babies. These babies have many special needs, so they must receive different medical care than full-term babies..

For this reason, they usually spend the first stage of their life outside the womb in a neonatal intensive care unit or NICU. This unit is designed to provide babies with an atmosphere that does not cause them stress and meets their basic needs for warmth, nutrition, and protection, thus ensuring proper growth and development.

Premature babies are further divided into subgroups based on the moment of their birth:

• Late preterm: When babies weigh between 1.5 kilograms and 2.5 kilograms, their gestation period ranges from 33 to 36 weeks.
• Very premature: When babies weigh 1.5 kilograms or less and their gestational age is 32 weeks or less.
• Extremely premature: when the pregnancy has lasted less than 28 weeks.

Nowadays, the average duration of a pregnancy is 40 weeks counted from the first day of the last menstruation. However, one in ten women will experience preterm labor. Premature babies generally are at risk of experiencing health and developmental problems, as they have not had enough time to grow properly in the maternal womb.

In the past, these cases of premature birth were a significant cause of infant mortality, as the necessary care for newborns in these circumstances was unknown, and medical advancements were limited.

The immaturity of the organs and systems of a preterm baby make them more vulnerable to certain diseases and risky situations..

Common characteristics of premature babies

• Low weight (less than 2.5 kilograms)
• Smooth, thin, shiny, and almost translucent skin, through which some veins can be easily seen.
• Presence of hair on the body.
• Weak suction and swallowing.
• Weak crying.
• Ear cartilage is soft and flexible.
• Low body temperature.
• Fast respiratory rate.

The best incubator: the Kangaroo Method

With this method, originated in Colombia and extended to maternity wards around the world, the aim is to replicate as closely as possible what the baby would experience if they were still inside their mother's womb.

The kangaroo method is mainly based on the skin-to-skin contact of the baby with the mother and father.. It has been shown to help premature babies regulate their body temperature and respiratory rate, promote breastfeeding, and strengthen the bond between the mother, father, and baby.

Technology in support of these little great fighters

The survival rate of premature babies has substantially increased in recent years thanks to advances in neonatal care.

A startup in India called Bempu has developed a Bracelet that helps control the temperature of premature newborns.. This technology, through a notification, would help in situations such as when parents cannot be close by, when there are not enough healthcare professionals for so many babies and they are not constantly monitored, or even when healthcare infrastructures are insufficient.

They have also been designed Low-cost incubators for premature babies in developing countries.

Another case is that of the medical team. Giraffe Omnibed by General Electric, which provides warmth and maintains a stable temperature so they can continue their growth, comfort, and safety, as if they were inside the mother's womb.

November 17th: World Prematurity Day

On November 17th, the International Day of Premature Babies was celebrated. In recent years, the number of preterm births has increased, reaching over 32,000 births in Spain with these characteristics. Worldwide, one in ten children is born prematurely.