2023-05-10 15:12:56
May 10, 2023
Prematurity is the leading cause of infant mortality. A UNICEF report published on May 10 draws up this observation and suggests ways to improve the care of women during their pregnancy. And limit their exposure to certain risk factors.
In 2020 alone, a total of 13.4 million premature births were recorded worldwide. Over the past decade, 152 million newborns have been born before term. That is to say before the 37 weeks of pregnancy classically reported between fertilization and childbirth.
Other figures: in total, “ 1 in 10 births occur early. And a baby born premature dies every 4 seconds in the world “, underlines Unicef which today publishes a report on the subject*.
Prematurity is still the leading cause of infant mortality. She ” precisely accounts for more than one in five child deaths occurring before their fifth birthday “. When survival is possible, the young are exposed lifelong health consequences, with an increased likelihood of disability and developmental delay “. And this because of an immaturity of the brain, the digestive systems, the lungs and/or the immune system.
65% of prematurity in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa
As often, the chances of survival vary in different corners of the globe. ” Only one in ten extremely preterm babies (<28 weeks) survives in low-income countries, compared to more than nine in ten in high-income countries “, relays Unicef.
The two regions of South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa alone account for 65% of premature births. But even in high-income countries, some factors like the glaring inequalities linked to race, ethnicity, income and access to quality care expose newborns to this prematurity, which is a source of disability and excess mortality.
Air pollution, unwanted pregnancies, pre-eclampsia
Edifying figures that we would like to see no longer published. However, as UNICEF reminds us, lhe preterm birth rates have not changed over the past decade in any region of the world. The impacts of conflict, climate change and Covid-19 are increasing the threats to women and babies everywhere. So what means can we improve the survival of toddlers?
- Limit exposure to air pollution, contributing to 6 million premature births each year;
- Reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies among adolescents, situations in which prematurity frequently occurs;
- Improve the prevention of pre-eclampsia, a pathology associated with arterial hypertension increasing the occurrence of preterm births.
These objectives to be achieved emphasize the need to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services, including effective family planning, with high quality care during pregnancy and childbirth “, emphasizes UNICEF. Progress whose implementation will depend on the level of investment on a global scale ” to improve maternal and newborn health ».
To note : in France, each year, 55,000 births occur prematurely (7 to 8 months of pregnancy), 15% of babies are very premature (6 to 7 months of pregnancy), and 5% of very premature babies (less than 6 months of pregnancy).
*Rapport « Born too soon : decade of action on preterm birth », published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with PMNCH
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Source : Unicef, the 10th of 2023
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Written by : Laura Bourgault – Edited by: Emmanuel Ducreuzet
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