World Prematurity Day – highlight on the challenges of preterm birth
Around 1 in 10 infants are born prematurely – that’s 15 million infants worldwide, each year.1 With a preterm baby born every two seconds, premature birth rate is on the rise.
World Prematurity Day on 17 November is an important opportunity to shine a light on the health challenges premature babies can face and spread compassion and hope for families who have experienced (are experiencing) premature births.
Defined as a baby who is born before 37 weeks, preemies have immature immune system and are more susceptible to infections. With growth expectations up to five times higher than term born peers2, sleep and adequate nutrition play an important role in helping preterm children to fight off bugs effectively on their own and ensure they grow up to be healthy individuals.
At Nutricia, we know nutrition plays a key role in immediate neonatal survival, growth and development, thus right nutrition during the earliest stages of life can have a positive impact on a preterm infant’s chances of survival. With 60 years’ experience in preterm nutrition, our vision is to improve long-term health of preterm infants and ensure the best start in life for every baby.
