750,000 preterm babies die unnecessarily each year, UN reports

November 16, 2012 in Health

The lives of at least 750,000 premature babies could be saved every year by taking simple and inexpensive steps to limit preterm birth, the world's largest killer of newborns, UN health experts said Friday.

"There are many interventions that can save lives and improve the quality of these ' lives that are not high-skilled intensive care but that are simple interventions," said Elizabeth Mason, who heads the World Health Organization's Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health.

Globally, 15 million children are born prematurelyevery year, representing one in 10 births, the WHO said.

Of this number, one million babies die every year, and countless others suffer lifelong physical, neurological or educational disabilities, Mason told reporters in Geneva, adding that the problem disproportionately affects poorer nations.

According to WHO statistics, more than 60 percent of preterm births occur in Africa and South Asia.

And while nine percent of babies are born too soon in higher-income countries, the number for poorer nations is 12 percent, the organisation said.

Mason cited straightforward steroid injections for mothers to prevent babies born preterm, or before 37 weeks from conception.

Other precautions after babies are born were also important, she said, pointing out that skin-to-skin contact, for instance, was an excellent way of keeping premature babies warm—a problem for under-developed newborns.

Speaking ahead of World Prematurity Day on Saturday, Mason also called for a better understanding of resuscitation methods and the wider use of antibiotics to treat infant pneumonia.

" ... are more vulnerable to infection, they have more problems with breathing," Mason said.

(c) 2012 AFP

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freethinking
Nov 16, 2012

Rank: 1 / 5 (6)
What! The UN saying pre-term babies are actually.... drum roll please..... are..... are...... Babies?

#1 KILLER of preterm babies, abortionists!

Whom am I to argue with the UN ;)
FrankHerbert
Nov 16, 2012

Rank: 3.3 / 5 (7)
Woman 'denied a termination' dies in hospital

Two investigations are under way into the death of a woman who was 17 weeks pregnant, at University Hospital Galway last month.

Savita Halappanavar (31), a dentist, presented with back pain at the hospital on October 21st, was found to be miscarrying, and died of septicaemia a week later.

Her husband, Praveen Halappanavar (34), an engineer at Boston Scientific in Galway, says she asked several times over a three-day period that the pregnancy be terminated. He says that, having been told she was miscarrying, and after one day in severe pain, Ms Halappanavar asked for a medical termination.

This was refused, he says, because the foetal heartbeat was still present and they were told, "this is a Catholic country".

She spent a further 2½ days "in agony" until the foetal heartbeat stopped.

-irishtimes.com
freethinking
Nov 16, 2012

Rank: 1 / 5 (4)
FH, listen to progressives and you hear only lies and half truths.

The lady did not receive proper medical care b/c they did not give her the correct antibiotics at the correct time. Malpractice killed her. Governmental controlled health care killed her and her baby.

When progressives use a tradegy, you need to dig to find out the truth. It's a well known and shameful fact that Progressives lie and use/misstate tradegies for their own ends.
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