Month: November 2011

MADRID, 19 (EUROPA PRESS)

10 Percent of annual births worldwide corresponds to premature babies, according to data from the last year of the World Health Organization (who), a rate which in Spain is situated between 7 and 8 per cent, says the Vice-President of the European Union of Neonantología and Perinatal Medicine, Dr. Manuel Sanchez Luna, on the occasion of the international day of the preterm childrenheld this week.

Taking into account that the concept of premature child is the one that is born before 37 weeks pregnancy, it’s a concept broad and multiple, although, according to Europa Press, “babies who are concerned about are those that are far below this age of gestation, at least those who are born before 26 weeks less than 750 grams of weight””, because what has greater consequences and less risk of surviving”.

When he was born at 26 weeks the chances of survival are at 60 percent, while in 23 chances are almost nil. Thus, among the 26 and 23 weeks them accumulate these specialists the major problems in the treatment of these children.

In these cases, the fundamental problem is that when it rises very immature no full development of the Agency, therefore, even if they are able to survive, its development will be completely different to that occurs in the womb.

“Will produce hormonal problems of growth and development”, and warns if prematurity has been produced by a direct problem of the fetus or the mother, including infection, “naturally increases the risk of sequelae”.

Thus, the consequences are clearly related to the development of the nervous system, and therefore has great risk of neurological disability, sensorineural and motor, also more likely to have respiratory problems, on the birth and growth; the latter occurs more slowly, both in weight and size. In addition, increase the infectious problems at birth.

Children born between 26 and 28 week also require hospitalization and are at risk problems in the short and medium term, “although they are always less”. In this case the chances of survival exceeds 90 percent, and almost 60 percent do not have sequels. However, “require very special care since the early days and its growth during the early years”.

Also, “children born around the 37 week generate important hospital and health care costs”. These children, although they seem prepared to survive outside the mother’s womb, immature and, above all, faced problems of adaptation.

In general, points out, the survival of these children has risen dramatically, the population that survives is greater, therefore has also increased the percentage of children with sequel, although these are also milder. “We can say that in Spain survive more than 85 percent of children with less than 1.5 kg and up to 50 percent has no sequels,” naturally mortality and sequels are increasing as she is going reducing the weeks of gestation. “

ALCOHOL, tobacco and work: new factors

says Dr Sánchez Luna figures are highly variable depending on the country, so is known in the world can affect between 5 per cent of births until 11 or 12 per cent; while in the EU these figures lies between 5.5 and 11.5 per cent, with large differences between different countries”.

Finland (5.5%) has the rate more low, “which means a level of quality health very well”, explains, while Austria (11.5%) is that most rate it is. “In Spain we are closer to Austria, between the last four”, however in the early 1990s these rates did not reach 6 per cent. “Although in recent years we have arrested in 7 or 8 per cent”, has been added.

Causes of why there is a birth premature are largely unknown, in fact by up to 40 percent do not know the reasons. Although it is known that the ageing of the maternal age; multiple pregnancies; early rupture of the amniotic bag; infections and intrauterine malformation and habits few healthy can lead to their occurrence.

Precisely, is the introduction of women into the labour market and the increase in unhealthy practices such as the consumption of alcohol and tobacco. “These factors directly affect prematurity”, as well as the most used techniques of assisted reproduction, where “the specialist meets several factors together: the age of the mother, fertility problems and, most important, the multiple birth”.

Spain has A high level healthcare

in his view, the important thing is to try to prevent prematurity and that is where efforts should be targeted, but stated that much progress has been made in recent years, and, once they are born, the important thing is to control and stability of these children. And so that this can make it highlights the work developed by multidisciplinary teams and specialized hospitals, “24 hours a day, 7 days a week”.

“The first moments of birth are critical, and often, hours are fundamental to the management is conducted by medical personnel and equipment and highly skilled nursing” has warned. “These hours you can not miss because it increases the risk of sequelae and mortality risk”, he adds.

Sánchez Luna highlighted positively the level of assistance to these children in Spain by pointing out that the country has these specialized centres to cover the entire population who need it. Moreover, said that “the results show a level of care is that it is the best”.

On the other hand, the expert stresses that the family is “a key player” in the development of these children, “how soon understand what will be best for all”. In his opinion, the parents should lose their fear because they are those who go to give care to these children after his stay in the hospital.

Are also fundamental acts of awareness that are carried out on the occasion of the I international day of the preterm children, formerly known as day of awareness of preterm children, which took place on November 17, 2011. This initiative has been launched by the European Foundation for the care of the newly born (EFCNI, for its acronym in English), March of Dimes, National Premmie Foundation and LittleBigSouls.

Precisely within this initiative, next Tuesday will move to the European Parliament, the white paper which reflected the needs of these children. “We must draw attention to this problem because in the majority of countries, especially the European Union, there is neither legislation nor structures especially develop and structured devoted to prevention, care and attention and follow-up of these children”, has been added.