Breast milk is particularly important for premature babies Health City Berlin

In order for premature babies to have a good start in life, it is important that they get breast milk as early as possible: it is precisely tailored to the needs of the little ones, protects once morest infections and is important for brain development.

Children born prematurely tend to have more health problems and risks than those born full term. It is therefore particularly important for them to receive breast milk at the earliest possible time. The Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) points this out on the occasion of the “World Prematurity Day” 2022. Breast milk is considered the perfect food – and at the same time protects the fragile premature babies like a loving, natural medicine.

Germany: Around 65,000 premature births a year

On average, a good six babies out of 100 children were born prematurely in 2021. This shows a current evaluation of billing data for the area of ​​the own insured. However, since TK exceeded the mark of eleven million insured persons in September and is Germany’s largest health insurance company, this trend also has significance for the population as a whole. In total, TK 2021 counted more than 7,300 premature births. Premature babies are children who are born before the end of the 37th week of pregnancy. For Germany as a whole, the “Federal Association for the Premature Child” estimates the number at around 65,000 children per year.

Chances of survival for premature babies are much higher today

Thanks to therapeutic and technical advances and a new awareness in obstetrics and intensive care medicine Premature babies have a much better chance of survival today than they did a few decades ago and better prospects of surviving this shock without permanent damage – physically and mentally. Nevertheless, they are exposed to special risks – in the environment of birth as well as later in life.

Prematurity: Acute and long-term health risks

• In addition to respiratory disorders, cerebral hemorrhages are among the most feared complications, especially in very small premature babies. Bleeding into the brain can occur for various reasons.
• Premature babies are particularly susceptible to hypoglycaemia. The body’s energy reserves are reduced while their need is increased. Because they little brown fat have to expend a lot of energy to maintain body temperature.
• Premature babies are more susceptible to certain diseases and disorders later in life, such as asthma or ADHD. That Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder occurs three to four times more often in preterm babies, even if the family is not genetically predisposed.
• In intelligence tests as part of follow-up examinations at the age of five, particularly small premature babies perform slightly worse on average than their peers who were born regularly.
• Premature babies were out of breath faster at follow-up visits at age five, had more respiratory infections, and were slightly smaller and more delicate.

(Sources: AOK, Baby and Family)

How breast milk protects once morest life-threatening diseases

In order to minimize these risks as much as possible, doctors point out the importance of breast milk, which is even greater for premature babies than for children who are born normally. “Breast milk protects once morest various diseases such as lung and eye problems or intestinal inflammation, for which premature babies have an increased risk,” explains Professor Wolfgang Göpel, neonatologist and senior consultant at the children’s clinic of the Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital, in the pharmacy magazine “Baby und Familie”.

Ten unbeatable quality characteristics of breast milk

1. Breast milk is perfectly adapted to the child’s needs: it satisfies hunger, quenches thirst and protects once morest overeating.
2. Breast milk is at the right temperature, always ready, hygienic – and free of charge.
3. Breast milk contains special defense and protective substances that protect a child once morest diseases such as gastrointestinal infections or middle ear infections in the long term, but also during breastfeeding once morest acute infectious diseases such as measles, chickenpox or colds.
4. The long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids in breast milk are important for the development of the child’s brain and nervous system.
5. The risk of sudden infant death is reduced by breastfeeding.
6. The interaction of lactic acid bacteria contained in breast milk and various carbohydrates helps to build up a healthy intestinal flora.
7. In the long term, children who have been breastfed have a lower risk of some diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases (e.g. high blood pressure), diabetes mellitus and leukemia.
8. Breastfeeding prevents the development of allergies.
9. Breastfeeding promotes jaw development and may also prevent misaligned teeth.
10. Breastfeeding has a positive effect on children’s cognitive development.

Breast milk: Substances that artificial baby milk lacks

The ingredients in breast milk are unique. They help babies grow and mature – and are largely not found in artificial breast milk substitutes. These include in particular:

• Growth factors that support the maturation of the child’s intestinal mucosa.
• Hormones, which as messengers ensure that bodily processes run smoothly. They regulate, for example, the appetite or the child’s sleep pattern.
• Enzymes are important components of the metabolism and thus promote, for example, the baby’s digestion and iron absorption.
• Immune cells and antimicrobial factors support the child’s immune system.

(Source: AOK)

Germany: Above-average number of premature births

More children are born prematurely in Germany than in many other countries. “In an international comparison, Germany has had a relatively high rate of premature births for many years without there being an explanation for this,” sums up Jens Baas, CEO of Techniker Krankenkasse. “It would be all the more desirable now to investigate which factors have influenced the current development and whether the rate of premature births might be further reduced.” The current analysis by TK for the area of ​​its insured shows: In the past five years, the rate of premature births has fallen from year to year – albeit slowly and coming from a relative level. In 2017 it was still 6.8 percent – ​​in 2021 it was 6.1 percent.

The trend among those insured with the TK coincides with the general development in Germany, said Richard Berger, coordinator of the medical guideline for the prevention and therapy of premature birth. However, the statistical figures for the total population are higher. The 2020 data showed a preterm birth rate of just under 8 percent for the general population.